BSSMSh Battle of the Rose
by Wild Nature
Summary: In between the two seasons of BSSMShadows, a young man finds destiny smacking him, quite rudely, on the face. Follow Dan as he meets up with the Shadow Senshi and sadly, the Sol Senshi and figure out how to get home :D
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMERS: Shadow senshi and other OC characters related to BSSMShadows (C) 2006 - 2007 Wild Nature. Dan, and this storyline is (C) JeffJaffe. All other characters are (C) their respected artists/creators/mangaka.

Chapter One: The Dimension Hopping 2 Step

"I'm pretty sure this one will work!" Dan announced in perfect Japanese as he un-clicked yet another spherical capsule from his belt. He wore a brown hoody and a pair of dark blue jeans. His shaggy blond hair was bouncing up and down as he moved at a frantic pace up and down the slope of the overpass.

Dan currently found himself and 2 companions stranded in the middle of Neo-Toronto, the Tracto-Mobiles navigation software having momentarily fizzed out causing the ultra sleek pod car to crash rather inelegantly into the side of a bridge.

"It'd better!" Grumbled the half demon known as Carter Handlecroft, or by his other name, that literally everyone else calls him by: Inuyasha.

Currently he crouched directly behind Dan at the top of the slope of the underpass. He wore a white ROOTS T-Shirt with 'I heart T.O' drawn across the front, a pair of light green basketball shorts, and of course a baseball cap with the Japanese national flag, on top of his head and his ears.

"I still can't believe you spent all of our money on that puppy…" Kagome hissed, her arms crossed against her perpetual green and white school girl uniform. She was sitting slouched against the very back of the overpass, resting her back against the concrete wall.

"Oh come on look at him!" Inuyasha cooed stroking the miniature chow chow against his tanned face. "He's so, cute, who's a cute puppy? You are! You're a little cute puppy!"

Dan momentarily paused from his tinkering to trade a confused/wtf gaze with his ally from the feudal age as his tough-as-nails personality melted away while he stroked the little brown puppy.

"All right…stand back," Dan announced as he finished shifting a few toggles on the capsule. He clicked together both sides of the two-part orb and a microsecond later the thin plastic shell gave way into a small flash of fluorescent orange light which quickly dissipated in mid air taking the form of a small rectangular device. "Ah crap! This is the penny dissolver!" Dan cried out having once again chosen the wrong capsule.

"I don't see why I can't just carry you to the airport Kagome," Inuyasha groaned shaking his head back and forth.

"No way Inuyasha! We already agreed, no powers while we visit my cousin!" Kagome tisked shaking her index finger towards Inuyasha.  
"Hmmf, it's not like I even wanted to come," Inuyasha grumbled crossing his arms and looking away from Kagome and back to Dan again. "I don't know why you just won't use that portal in a tube thing you made to enter my era?" Inuyasha asked referring to Dan's portable synthetic well-in-a-box.

"I've never actually tried it out," Dan replied as he recapsulized the penny dissolver and re-attached it to his belt.

"Inuyasha may have a point! I mean you did model it after the one back at my place," Kagome said reminding Dan of their previous adventure a half prior.

"Yeah, but it's untested and we still don't even know how Freta, Miko and I were able to use the well," Dan argued scratching the back of his head and waving an arm in Kagome's direction as he attempted to discourage the notion. "May we can drive without navigation software…."

"Really?" 

"Oh, my no. We probably run off the road and tear apart half of Neo-Toronto," Dan explained shaking his head back and forth with a smile.

"Come on! I want to get back home!" Inuyasha whined stomping his feet up and down.

"Look I can't do it…if it works on my power, we're talking about breaking space and time!" Dan tried to explain listing 2 of his 3 restraints.

"What about those boom tubes?" Kagome asked raising an eyebrow questioningly.

"I DIDN'T MAKE THOSE! SHEEESH!" Dan exclaimed throwing his arms back in frustration.

"But if it's a copy of the shrine's well, it should work on the same power, which isn't your own!" Kagome suggested, her hands on her hips.

"Look…I'm not going to risk it—" Before Dan could finish, Inuyasha lunged forward and snagged Dan's capsule belt. "HEY!" Dan yelled as he tried in vain to catch the half demon as he leaped out and over the underpass and up to the top of a highway lamp post. Spasms of light could be seen from the ground as Inuyasha unlocked gadget after gadget, which of course rained down all over the highway.

"He can be so stubborn some times," Kagome sighed shaking her head back and forth, and raised it to find herself speaking to no one. "Dan?" She looked out towards the highway to catch a faint glimpse of Dan as he ran out into oncoming traffic.

"Darn it Inuyasha," Dan grumbled to himself as he flipped and leaped over oncoming traffic.

"HEY WATCH IT KID!" Roared a driver while Dan slid across the hood of his car.

"Sorry, sir! Just trying to protect the—" Dan's eyes caught sight of his thermal detonation charge blocks which had landed directly in front of the oncoming vehicles. An average block, weighing a three hundred pounds and with dimensions of five by seven feet, would needless to say total almost any car.

"AH MAN!" Dan moaned as he rolled over on the hood of the car so that he was facing straight forward, quickly he slid down the hood reaching out with his arms out off of the car and towards the oncoming blocks. "COMPACT-O!" Dan screamed just as his hands made contact with his target, and in a flash of light the huge crate compacted into a tiny orb which popped directly into Dan hand. "Well now that, that's taken care…. of..." His eye quickly caught site of the dozens of gadgets that now littered the road and to make matters worse, a steady stream of them was still raining down. "Sometimes…I really hate this job." Dan grumbled as he rolled off of the cars hood and rolled out onto the road.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! WHY! WHY DID I DO THAT!" Dan screamed in pain as he slowly stood back up off of the asphalt, bits of skin dangled everywhere off of his body and clumps of hair were even missing, however if one cared to notice, they'd see that most of the scrapes and cuts were already healing themselves…that didn't stop the pain though.

"Grrrrrr….." Dan growled as he shook off the pain and broke into an all out sprint, hopping onto and around the whizzing cars. "COMPACT-O! COMPACT-O!" Dan ran his fingers along every invention he could see. "COMPACT-O! COMPACT-O! COMPACT-O!" Suddenly an object that resembled an oversized dryer begin to descend. "No! Not the any stain removed tumbler!" Dan yelled as he watch it as it descended straight into the back of a tractor trailer, which quite evidently carrying skittles as now the road was covered in millions of them, the tumbler having ripped a huge hole in the back of the truck and consequentially smashed open a few dozen boxes. "Whoa, Whoa, Whoa!" Dan screamed as he tripped and spun out of control as the road became covered in the most tasteful of rainbows. 

"INUYASHA!"

"Kagome! I found it I found the..."

"SIT BOY!"

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

CRUNCH!

"HOLOGRAPHIC BLOCKADE!" Dan commanded as he threw a spinning puck-like device into the sky. Two miniature propellers then popped out of its top enabling the puck to fly even higher into the sky. "NOW!" On Dan's command the puck let out a mighty wave of violet energy that spread out and created a 200 foot bubble around the scene. For anyone outside the bubble, the illusion of construction workers appeared. "Damn it Inuyasha…" Dan sputtered as he trudged across the skittle covered road, at least half a dozen cars had crashed. Many had various instruments jutting out of the front windows, but luckily for our heroes most of the drivers were still in shock, so no one was complaining quite yet.

Inuyasha was slowly peeling himself out of the ground while Kagome sat on the side of the poly steel well. It looked exactly like the one found in Higurashi shrine save for the mast that this one was comprised completely out of a slight blue-steel alloy.

"Yeah, you really need to learn how to control yourself," Kagome commented.

"Don't…start…nagging me woman! I just got our ticket home…isn't that right, Toshi?" Inuyasha said as he stroked his puppy.

"Woof!"

"Groan…" Dan shook his head looking to the ground. "Look don't jump into—GOD DAMN IT!" Dan shouted as he raised his head and became aware of the pair's disappearance. He sprinted up to the mouth of the well and looked down. No one was there.

"Well…at least they finally got to go home." Dan commented slouching down alongside the well to take a moments rest.

"HEY! YOU! YOU'RE THE KID WHO CRASHED MY CAR!" Shouted an angry balding fat man in a yellow tee.

"YEAH! AND NOW WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT MY CHILDREN!" Screamed a mother as she dragged out the unconscious bodies of her children. An electric hammer was rammed into a young boys chest and a infinite top was slowly grinding its way into her daughters skull.

"Oh…just tap the gadgets and say Compact-o—"

"HEY! GIVE ME YOUR ID!" Growled a middle aged business women. "THIS WAS A COMPANY CAR!"

"Uh…erm…" Dan slowly got back up and began to notice that he was being surrounded by all sides. "Well…you see the thing is…LOOK IT'S PARIS HILTON!" Dan pointed off into a wild direction.

"Hmm?" The crowd all turned in the direction that he was pointing, and as they did Dan promptly flung himself deep into the well.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Dan screamed as he fell through deep violet and navy blues skies. The teleportation sequence always messed him up. But slowly the world began to return to normal as the lights around him stabilized and he found himself at the dank bottom of a well.

---5 minutes of nail breaking raw climbing later---

"If it isn't the Gaijin," Miroku said with a smile just as Dan edged his way over the edge of the well.

"Good to see you too," Dan replied rolling his eye. "HRRRRRMF!" With one final lift of super strength Dan launched himself 10 feet into the air and landed directly beside the monk. Shippo was off in the distance playing with his top whilst Sango patiently wiped her Hiraikotsu clean from a previous battle.

"Where's Inuyasha?" Dan asked curiously as he looked around trying to catch sight of them.

"Oh, Kagome and him were just here. They needed some alone time…at least that's what Kagome said," Sango explained momentarily looking up and motioning to the nearby forest.

"Oh…really?" Miroku asked as slowly began to move off towards the forest but was stopped dead in his tracks by a raised Hiraikotsu.

"Don't even think about it monk," Sango grumbled slowly lowering the Hiraikotsu.

"Anyway… I'd love to stay and catch up with you guys but--"

"Your maiden needs you. I understand," Miroku nodded his head as he shook Dan's hand.

"Maiden?" Dan asked with a questioning expression.

"Surely you have wed the frog demon by now. And while I hardly condone such relationships…" Miroku replied referring to Freta.

"WHA? No way! I don't even like her!" Dan sputtered shaking his head back and forth rapidly.

"Please, you're in just as much denial as Inuyasha," Shippo chirped in as he shook his head back and forth with a dissatisfied expression across his face.

"Yeah well….HEY! IS THAT PARIS HILTON!" Dan once more pointed off in a completely random direction.

"REALLY!" Everyone exclaimed looking off into Dan's random direction at the exact same time.

"And I'm off," Dan flipped back down into the well and was once more immersed in energy…but not quite the same energy as before.

"Wait a second…WAAAAAAAAAAH!" A sudden pounding smacked into Dan's chest as the typical violet and blue energy of the time stream gave way into something else, entirely. Crimson red, violent lime peel green, and millions of small fragmented stars blinked into being as the pounding grew in intensity. Then the glass came. Wall after wall of infinite wide and tall panes of glass zipped into existence rushing forward on a horizontal vector straight into Dan's still falling body. "CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!" Wall after wall he continued to fall the glass shattering into a million pieces upon contact and cutting and scraping away at his flesh. "Grrrrrm." Dan frantically reached down for his capsule belt but soon remembered that Inuyasha probably still had it. Still, he manically dug into his pockets to find anything.

"No!" His hands, becoming soaked in his own blood, found it quite difficult to grip the smooth casing of each capsule and simply slipped out of his hands. This time he reached into his hoodie's pocket once more and grabbed with both hands another capsule and squeezing it as hard as he could the capsule activated. "The Ionizing Iron!" Dan exclaimed just before shattering through yet another wall of glass. The ionizing iron is a rather helpful device in that once applied to any shirt or garment that said shirt or garment will remain wrinkle free for up to 90 days!

"Oh vut the hell!" Dan sputtered as his lip was torn in two. Thrusting the iron in front of himself Dan flicked the on switch, a pulsating wave of blue energy rushed forward from the head of the iron racing to find any solid substance it could cling to, and that first substance would just so happen to be glass. The wave of blue spread out across the oncoming pain of glass causing the texture to change a bit. Bringing his hands in front of himself once more to protect his face from the next shatter, he was surprised to find himself face flat on solid ground. "Ha! Ha ha ha haa haa!" Dan broke into hysterical laughter and rolled over onto his back.

"IT WORKED IT WORK—oh my…" Dan's eyes widened in fear, apparently gravity still existed in this trippy dimension and the shards from the last sixty or so glass walls were now falling down…directly at our hero. "NO! NO! NO! Grmmm…." Dan muttered to himself as his eyes rapidly darted around trying to find some way out. "AH HA!" A series of swirling vortex's of doom had open up all around the glowing blue plate of glass. With no time to think Dan turned on his heel and rushed straight into the nearest portal. And strangely as he did so, every shard of glass froze in place.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dan still quite bloodied now found himself not only caked in blood, but mud as well. "Where the hell am I now?" Dan asked himself as he slowly raised himself to his knees. "Oh that's right…hell." Dan answered his own question as his eyes scanned the new terrain which by all regards did indeed resemble hell. The skies were violent orange the clouds a mixture of brown and grays, the landscape itself was dotted by hundreds of erupting volcano's and lava flows and situated around the caverns and flat sulfur beds were enormous towers rising up high above the clouds the towers were covered in thorn like pillars and thousands of electrodes sparking with frantic energy. Using his ultra eye, Dan scanned the horizon and scanned 3 miles above the clouds. With this increased vision he could make out the structure of gray iron and flickering lights that curved around with smaller and wider curved buildings inside, creating the effect of pedals. "They're…roses." Dan mumbled with an awed expression as he struggled to take in the enormity of these enormous gothic stylized structures. 

"GRANDOR!" A ferocious creature grabbed Dan by the neck and flung him into a cage. The creature's skin was gray in color with cracks running along it's flesh, giving it the appearance of dried earth. A set of over sized fangs hung from the creature's overbite, it's arms thick and gorilla like and its hind legs resembling those of a mighty four legged mammal, the mindless creature having captured Dan hoisted the cart back onto his shoulders and begun to trudge towards the nearest tower.

Inside the cage Dan hobbled around, he was surrounded by alien life forms of nearly every size and shape. 

"Goober Snackle?" Asked a light green creature whom resembled something onto that of a pickle with very large insectoid eyes.

"Oh yes that's right, I don't have an imbedded translator for alien! I so do not need this right now."

"GOOBER SNACKLE!" The pickle alien shouted again this time with a very frustrated expression.

"Yeah sure…GOOBER SNACKLE!" Dan replied begrudgingly waving his hands in air mockingly.

"Goober…snackle?" The pickle asked sheepishly.

"Cornona! COORS!" A dark yellow alien that resembled nothing more then a rather large wart with feet and arms shoved the pickle like creature aside.

"Heinakin?" Dan replied with a confused expression.

"MOLSON!" the giant wart roared with laughter.

"This calls for a bud light," Dan asked. "Blue Nun? Canadian Dry?"

"FOSTERS!" The wart slapped a greasy hand along side the back of Dan's head a sudden fiery feeling flooded his mind and pinched at the back of his nervous system.

"And they're you go chap, now you and me can talk like equals see." The yellow wart replied in perfect accented English.

"Why…do you have an English accent?" Dan asked with a confused yet at the same time spoke with a very British accent.

"Oye, bugger if I know, this just be the way everyone speaks in basic." The talking wart explained slapping his hand down hard onto his chest.

"Go figure… So what exactly is going on here?" Dan asked trying to get comfortable despite the cramped conditions.

"Oye, we be being hauled off to be classified for which roles we shall take as slaves."

"Slaves?"

"Yie."

"Uh…no you see there's been a mistake. I'm not from around here and—"

"Oh and ya think we are? Most of us are explorers dat that darn forcefield ray dragged down."

"Oh…well…I think I'll be just leaving now." Dan replied as he charged up his strength. "Good luck with the slavery." And with one mighty thrust Dan's caked in blood hands struck the bars…and nothing happened.

"Ah, don't worry maybe you'll get lucky and they'll have no use for ya!"

"Really! So then they'll just let me go?"

"Oh my no, they'll throw you into the feeders."

"…"

"I hear it beats da slavery!"

"Oh joy…" Dan grumbled shrugging into a crouch. "I guess I'll just have to find another way out."

"Oye, dah Rosellas won't be letting you get away with that ma boy," The yellow wart replied rubbing his bloated belly. "They be the violent short you know, nearly conquered 30 of the known universe by now."

"Really…and I've never even heard of them on Earth." Dan grumbled still attempting to get comfortable.

"EARTH!" All of the aliens in the cage sprung to life and shouted at the exact same time in shock.

"Yeah… we're a small blue and green planet on the less tasteful right wing of the milky way." Dan shrugged.

"But…my boy…your to tell me that you're from Earth?" The wart asked his eyes glowing in awe.

"Yer. I'll probably have to hitch a ride home after I escape this place won't I?"

"But ma boy…you're already home."

"What?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A tall slender man with waist long flat yet flowing blond hair, porcelain skin, his blood shot eyes stared out of a long and wide window beholding his handiwork. He wore a long suit of pure white, the collar raised around the back and a tiny set of spectacles resting on his nose. He was the prince of the Rosselas.

To call him a prince however is a gross understatement; for it is he who founded the empire, it was he who planted the first rose, it was he who saved the Rosselas from their own destruction and it is he who will one day rule the entirety of the universe, he is over two centuries old but doesn't appear a day over thirty.

"Beautiful is it not?" He asked without even looking behind him, he knew that David was behind him, he is always there. "Pure Thermal power… granting life to our cities, to our dreams."

"Yes, it is quite magnificent my sire," The tottering dark skinned man replied. "And to think, our foolish ancestors almost destroyed themselves, almost gave up on progress."

"Fools," The prince stated without changing his expression. "Progress can never be stopped…just like myself, no?" The prince laughed a bit too much himself.

"Precisely my master." David laughed alongside his master.

BEEP.

"Hmm?"

"I'll take this your majesty," David replied stepping back a bit and clicking down his ear piece. "Yes? Slaves? Well nothing new about that… What?... You… No… Are you serious? Because if this is a joke, I will personally order your execution…. Very well. I shall ask the Prince if he wishes to leave his chamber," David took a deep breath and cleared his thoughts. "Your Majesty. There has been a haphazard ."

"How so?"

"One of the recently wound up slaves…he says that he is…and well his genetic structure perfectly matches with-" Before David could finish his sentence the prince turned on his heel and began to strut over to the air lift.

"Is he being held in the slave quarters?" The prince asked as he entered the glass tube.

"Quadrant 316, your majesty." Dave replied checking his holographic note board.

"David, please we've known each other since childhood, call me by my proper name."

"Very well. May the rose bless you, Daniel Lakai Daroshay III."

"Hmf…that's more like it."

And with a sudden gust of wind the prince flew vertically down at break neck speeds.

-----In quadrant 316.----

"You are to have an audience with our prince." Barked a grey skinned hulking beast.

"Purple Rain?" Dan asked sarcastically. "YAGH!" The guard not appreciating the pop culture reference jabbed Dan in the chest with an electro-blade.

The round doors ahead of the chamber slowly drew open and stepping through them came the emperor Daroshay. Dan took a double take.

"Whoa! Wait!" Dan shook his head back and forth with a confused expression. "You're! You're! Ashton Kutcher? YAGH!"

"Don't…" Prince Daroshay struck out with his index and middle finger, a ribbon of light orange energy whiplashed out and struck the guard severing his spear jabbing hand off. "Do that."

"GRAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Oh just shut up." Prince Daroshay struck again with his energy ribbon this time decapitating and disemboweling the guard in a matter of seconds. 

"Dude…did you just…" Dan stuttered looking to the still smoking corpse of the guard.

"Galgarians, they're easily replacable." Daroshay shrugged. "But you…you're a rarity now aren't you."

"Look I really don't know what this is about, but…if you give me a ride home…I won't have to…KILL YOU ALL!" Dan whipped out the ionized iron out once again.

"Hmf..." The prince cracked a smile before squinting his eyes and casting out a beam of concentrated orange energy, striking the iron and causing it to implode. "So, you are a clone? Correct?"

"Not the last time I checked, what is this about?" Dan asked with a begrudged expression across his face.

"Hm… So you are not from around here are you?"

At this Dan paused for a second his mouth dropping for a few seconds. "Noooooooooo, you THINK!"

"You do know what this means, don't you?" Daroshay asked moving closer to his younger counterpart.

"That you're…a craaaaaaazy man?" Dan asked wiggling his blood caked fingers in the air.

"Infinite dimensions, parallel worlds…all of my theories, they were correct." Daroshay muttered.

"Dimensions…well that would explain the last 2 hours of my life quite nicely now wouldn't it," Dan pondered to himself for a bit. 

"Well… I suppose I ought to have my scientists dissect you and see if that will leave me any clues," Daroshay mumbled uncaringly. "Take him to the lab men." Daroshay waved his guards towards Dan.

"WHAT! Oh no way!" Dan's eyes scanned the area…the electro-staff it was a bit wet with blood…but it was still good. Dan thought to himself. Looking around he noticed dozens of guards coming out of nowhere…no wait they were coming out of…the shadows? "Heartless?" Dan raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Oh," The prince stopped in his trot. "Haven't heard that name for a while. Just for your interest, I call them creepers and I believe you'll find them much more efficient killing machines then their pixilated counterparts though.

And he was right, they certainly weren't heartless, they were much more beastly taking on hundreds of different forms, tendrils claws, teeth, tongues, limbs all flailed about ,slowly creeping towards Dan. 

"Ha-HMF!" Dan leapt into the air jumping above a series of constraining tendrils and landing next to the electro-staff he rolled out of the way of a series of tendrils at the last second and picked up the staff, with a few twists the head of the staff lit to life light blue electricity crackling madly. "FRAAAAAH!" With one big wide swept swing Dan electrified a small patch of the creepers and took into a run closely pursued by a dozen more creepers. Rushing across the room Dan quickly realized that he was headed for a dead end, the round doors that had brought him up from the slave quarters were quite closed. "Here we, go, got to..."

A creeper in the dark outlined form of a raptor leaped into the air and came down, claws and teeth out. But with a left right left right strike followed by a direct blow to the chest, Dan easily knocked the creeper/raptor back into the ground where it fizzed out into a small swell of dark before breaking apart into tiny specks of black.

"So you can kill them," Dan thought just as a spider like creeper leaped for him, but a quick super strength powered kick sent the arachnid buckling back.

"Now, HIC HOC POTANI ACTIVATO!" Dan shouted as he smacked both hands against the doors, closing his eyes tightly he could feel the wet and dank bleakness of the creepers beginning to run up over him. Concentrating on the locking mechanism Dan used all his will to configure it, turning the locking mechanize off with his mind and—

Swish.

FRAZZZZAAAP

Dan flopped out into the hall way his entire lower body engulfed in gurgling shadows. With this Dan allowed the electro-staff to slide down his arm and along his back till it rammed straight into the mass of creepers, pouring out a seemingly never ending stream of light blue energy that electrocuted the inky polymorphic creatures causing them to spasm and shake and finally explode into millions of specks. Dan now free from his constraints broke into a full out sprint through the lower halls of the tower, it resembled a very, very long cathedral with the walls rising hundreds of feet to a curved roof. As Dan rushed with all his speed down the hall, he became completely unaware of the growing hordes descending from the ceilings buttresses (those long arched pieces of wood that hold up a curved ceiling) bubbling and contorting out from the buttresses the creepers plummeted to the ground as black blobs splattering all across the ground, but they quickly began to change shape. Long slender limbs grew out forming into thin almost feline like legs while the rest of the form contorted into a cat like creatures.

"Ahhh man." Dans head darted left and right counting the 40 some odd high speed creepers that were now curving around him in a U formation. Slowly the creepers moved closer and closer together, closing in around Dan. "NO WAY! Not again!" Dan grumbled kicking off the ground at the last minute as all 40 creepers collided into one another. They quickly molded together forming a huge huge throbbing black mass which arched up taking the form of a humongous hand. "Whoaaaaaaaa!" Dan screamed as he twisted in midair to dodge the multiple attempted grasps by the hand. Just as he began to fall back down to Earth, Dan turned in mid air and face the oncoming gurgling hand. "YEEERG!" Dan reeled back with all his might and switched the Electro-staff to full power. "YAH!" He threw the Electro-staff like a javelin directly into the palm of the humongous liquid hand, no sooner did the staff sink 4 feet into the palm did it let off a mind boggling series of light blue explosions, as the staffs power battery let out every bit of its juice. Stopping in its tracks the enormous hand quivers and shudders dozens of wart/blister like bubbles roaring to its surface just before-

SPLURF! 

The hand exploded into thousands of drops of ooze, an especially large blob splashed into Dan and caused him to loose all balance and land flat on his back.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Dan screamed in pain thrashing back and forth, a weird lopsy feeling in his right shoulder causing him to gulp in pain. "SHIT!" Dan rolled onto his side his left arm rubbing the source of the pain. "Dislocated…" Dan grumbled as he started to limp his way towards the towering exit. "Only one way to fix this quick enough…"

Dan sneered in self disgust, tears starting to well in his eyes. "VENUS!" Dan shouted an emerald fury of energy burst around his broken form leaving only a faint shilouette of his rapidly changing form. Then almost as though a gust of wind had blown the fire out, the emerald flame dissipated leaving Danielle in its midst. "That's better." Danielle moaned rolling her shoulder blades a few times and clinking her neck back and forth. Danielle broke into a sprint towards the doors once more, but only got about 10 feet before.

"SHIT MY PANTS!" Danielle stumbled reaching down and pulling her now quite baggy pants back up. "I hate being a chick, nothing ever fits right." Danielle snarled as she closed her eyes and re-summoned the emerald flame via thought, reverting her back into Dan. "Now lets go." Dan shouted now fully revived he started running head first. "HIC!" Dan roared whipping out a permanent marker while still running. "HOC!" Dan rotated a nozzle on the marker and 3 heads broke out and flew through the air each drawing on a separate line to create the Tractonia symbol (my avatar). "POTANI!" Dan kick leaped him self straight for the door and began to concentrate with all his will on doggy door. "ACTIVATO!" Dan smashed his right hand against the logo causing furious orange energy to burst forth from under his hand. Dan then stepped forward against what appeared to be solid metal, but looks were quite deceiving as the small portion that Dan stepped through curved up and in much like a giant doggy door. "Now to find a way…out….of…here?" Dan stumbled over his own words as he stared across the barren and volcanic landscape dotted by the monolithic rose towers. All of it looked quite the same, and quite frankly Dan had no clue of which way to go. "Ah, damn…how will I get back to th—"

"RUN!" Screamed a boy whom looked exactly like Harry potter.

"Harry Potter?" Dan asked with a questioning stare.

"I've come back in time to stop you from making a terrible decision!" Harry replied sputtering madly.

"Oh with Hermione's time turner? Oh man this is so cool!" Dan replied whilst standing in an apocalyptic landscape.

"Yeah….well go ahea—"

"NO! Harry you can't stop him!" Yelled a second Harry Potter.

"Oh my god! A second Harry Potter? This just keeps getting better and better!" Dan replied with a laugh.

"Oh so you're me, from after I tell Brian here not to—"

"Precisely!" The second Harry replied.

"Brian?" Dan asked raising an eyebrow.

"STOP! It's I, Harry Potter, from yet another timeline! You two shouldn't be here!" Yelled a third Harry that warped in seemingly out of nowhere.

"BLOODY HELL!" Screamed the first Harry Potter. "I can't believe it!"

"My…name isn't Brian." Dan replied whilst being ignored by the three Harry Potters.

Suddenly three more Harry Potters warped into reality. "NO YOU MUST NOT TELL HIM/MUST TELL HIM!" The three yelled to their counterparts before exchanging looks at one another.

"Yo, name's not Brian!" Dan said with a bored expression, raising a hand.

"So you three all come from different various points of time to prevent or ensure that we follow a series of action?" The third Harry Potter asked.

"That's right." Nodded the fifth Harry Potter.

"Well that's just plain extraordinary!" Replied the sixth Harry Potter.

"Wait!" "WAIT!" "WAAAIT!" WAIIIIT!" "WAIIT!" "NO!" "DON'T!" "SHOULDN'T!" "GO BACK!" "HAGGRAD!" 9 more Harry Potters rushed up shouting furiously.

"Hey you guys didn't see a rip in space and time around here by any chance…did you?" Dan asked scratching the back of his bushy blond head.

"Over there mate!" All 15 Harry Potters turned and pointed towards a light purple rectangular door frame off in the far distance. Dan squinted and caught site of dozens of more Harry Potters rushing through the door way screaming and hollering. 

"Thanks…um…good luck?" Dan thanked before swiping one of the Harry's brooms and flew off.

"Oye! He took me broom!" Whined Harry number 22.

"I think we have more pressing matters to attend to," Harry number 11 suggested his arms crossed.

"Yes…well lets do some basic arithmetic, if Harry number 29 left at 8:32 pm and if the multidimensional time lapse is 32.202 seconds per quantum leap…."

"WAIT! DON'T WORK OUT THAT CALCULATION!" Screamed yet another band of 10 Harrys.

"NO! NO YOU BLOODY FOOLS!" Shouted Harry number one. "AT THIS RATE WE'LL PARADOX OURSELVES FROM EXISTEN—" unfortunately Harry number ones warning could not be heard over the collective 136 Harry Potters perpetual ramblings and warnings. And with a bizarre light blueish warp the Harry Potters began to implode one by one. 

"YERP!"

"EPP!"

"POOF!"

The chain reaction continued to spread even as Dan etched nearer and near to the portal. Reaching out with his right arm Dan swooped in at a mind boggling 120 miles an hour…then the broom began to implode.

"Huh?" Dan asked as the back bristles of the broom began to rip apart and spark out of existence. "YEEEEEEEEE!" Dan squealed as he edged closer and closer to the portal. 100 feet! 90 Feet! Dan pulled himself further up along the broom as more and more of the shaft disintegrated into blue light. 50 feet! "JUST GOTTA LAND! JUST GOTTA LAND!" Dan yelled to himself as he spun around out of control still hovering a solid 20 feet above the ground. 30 Feet! Dan now flipped himself up into a hand stand as the last foot of the broom begun to break apart. "Almost they're…almost---" The broom disappered 15 feet above the ground and 10 feet from the portal. "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Dan tumbled through mid air still riding the momentum from the broom. "WHOA! WHOA! WHOA!" Dan rammed right through the portal and smacked face first onto the glowing pane of glass. "Oof!" the wind was knocked out of Dan as he grinded along the panel of glass still sliding at tremendous speeds he swerved across the glass directly into another swerving vortex of Doom. "Wah?" Dan mumbled for a split second, he was able to notice three things - one, the sky was a nice shade of baby blue with a few fluffy clouds. Two, it was a city, and looked pretty up to date with Dan's own world. Three, he had landed in a cherry blossom tree…which then broke under his weight, leaving Dan to fall eight feet and land on his side…and promptly black out.

"Hey! Did you see that!" Pomona squealed pointing from the picnic table that she and eight other girls and one young man were seated at.

Usagi had decided to hold a congratulatory lunch for the recently victorious Shadow Senshi. Although at the present moment she wasn't so much as hosting the event as filling her pie hole with rice cakes. "Mmf?" Usagi tilted her head curiously.

"Oh my…a boy fell out of that tree!" Kakure said with a shocked expression pointing to the now quite collapsed body of Dan Daroshay.

"Finally this picnic is getting interesting!" Kaiki smiled hopping off the side of the table and rushing across the park towards Dan.

"WEEEEE!" Pomona somersaulted over the table and across the park in pursuit of Kaiki.

"Should we follow?" Sora asked her cousin tilting her head to the side cutely.

"Sigh…I guess so," Toki nodded her head and headed off along with Sora.

"Eizou? Aren't you coming?" Kaki asked as she joined the rest of the "welcoming party".

Eizou just sat on the bench her eyes watching a tiny ant crawling across the table towards her food.

"We'll just hold down the fort," Kakushi replied patting Apple on the head.

"Oh…okay," Kaki said awkwardly as she turned and followed the rest of the girls across the park to the blond boy who was still lying flat on his back.

"What's up with her?" Usagi asked as she caught up next to Kaki.

"She's still a bit tender," Kaki explained. "She's been like this ever since we defeated Void."

"Really? I hardly noticed!" Usagi replied twerking her head a bit.

"Wha…ermmm," Dan slowly shook his head back and forth his still hazy he began to pick up on the basic shapes and colors of half a dozen or so people…possibly school girls by the sounds of it, but his ears were still ringing.

"Oh a Gaijin!" Sora announced as she hung over Dans twitching body.

"Hmf…that explains a lot," Toki smirked shaking her head back and forth.

"How so?" Kaiki asked putting her hands on her hips.

"Well it's pretty stupid, climbing cherry blossom trees, no self respecting Japanese citizen would do such a thing," Toki explained shaking her head in disgust.

"Hmmm, I think he's kinda cute!" Kakure giggled poking Dan on the nose.

"Wha? Where am I?" Dan coughed fully opening his eyes and rising up off of his back ever slowly having to use his hands to leverage himself back up.

"Do any of you know any English?" Kaiki asked looking for a girl to raise her hand or atleast say something.

As she spoke Dan thought to himself 'Japanese aye? Well the babel-o-fish should be kicking in any time now…anytime now.' Dan waited for his implanted translator to take effect, but nothing happened. "Oh no."

"Hello, cabbage!" Kaki slowly mouthed in very broken English.

"Wait a second…just hold on a second." Dan stuttered as he thought back to the giant talking wart alien. "COORS!" Suddenly the alien translation device flew into full power. "Hey. Sorry about that, don't worry about anything, I know Japanese quite well actually." Dan replied in perfect Japanese.

"WOOT! He's even fluent!" Kakure squealed clapping her hands.

"Great, so… I guess I'm back in Japan aye," Dan asked raising an eyebrow as he slowly teetered to his feet, using the cherry tree for support.

"Well, of course! Where else would you be?" Usagi asked with a questioning tone.

"OH GOD NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Dan screamed falling backwards in shock as of seeing the dreaded Usagi. "Please, no god no! NOT AGAIN!" Dan continued to step backwards swerving his hands in front of his face.

"Do…I know you?"

"STAY AWAY FROM ME—" Dan tripped over a park bench and smacked his head against a concrete monument and promptly fell unconscious…again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prince Daroshay stood before the portal, the rip in space and time still quivered erratically back and forth. The Prince was flanked by 6 Gagarin guards and of course his trusty man servant David whom was quickly writing on his holographic clipboard notes and figures.

"This is it… the portal to infinite worlds. Just what we've been waiting for," The prince breathed in an icy tone as he waved his pale hand horizontally in front of the portal. "Infinite sources of energy, infinite power for my infinite EMPIRE!" He laughed somewhat maniacally. Slowly he stepped into the portal and into the crawlspace of hanging glass (What we'll call the mid point) and glanced around at the dozen spinning vortex's of doom.

"My god," David said dumbfounded as he stared up at the millions of hanging shards of glass. Looking up one could see that on the ruined floors there were even more spinning vortexes of doom.

"Twelve vortexes…twelve worlds… and my doppelganger is hiding from me in just one." Prince Daroshay spoke in a monologue. "My gamble indeed proved wise, I knew he'd lead us back to this place. Now we must simply find him and bring him back."

"My majesty, all things considered…why? I mean, here are twelve more universes to conquer! Why do we need a weak version of you?" David asked shrewdly.

"He is the key… He must know how to transverse the dimensions…if we capture him all of the others can be ours as well." Prince Daroshay explained clenching his fists above himself.

"So…?"

"Ready the roses…" Prince Daroshay announced as he stepped back into his own world to prepare his infinite legions.

"How many sir?"

"Oh I'd say at least a dozen…AHHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Prince Daroshay laughed as he stepped out through the portal leaving the Crawlspace of Hanging glass and its dozen different worlds. 


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMERS: Shadow senshi and other OC characters related to BSSMShadows (C) 2006 - 2007 Wild Nature. Dan, and this storyline is (C) JeffJaffe. All other characters are (C) their respected artists/creators/mangaka.

Chapter Two: Can We Say 'Crush'?

"I don't understand it, how in the world does he know me?" Usagi was exclaiming. She then promptly gasped. "Oh no! Do you think he knows, you know," she then whispered. "A princess?!"

Dan groaned as Kakure peeked down at him. She grinned and gave his face a hard slap. "Hey there, handsome. What'cha been doing?"

"Come on, let him up!" Kaki grunted as she tugged on one hand. "HELP?" She asked pointedly.

"Oh, come on, let him rest in my lap," Kakure began.

Dan started. "What the hell? Get away from me!"

"Darn," Kakure stretched out her legs, grinning at him. "You have cute hair! It's soft as a kitten's!"

"Really?" Sora blinked. "Let me see!"

Dan had to fight through a crowd of girls before turning to crash into a masculine body. Kakushi looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm surprised none of you think he's the enemy. He fell from the skies even! I'm not some senshi and yet I'm the one noticing this?!" Kakushi snorted before wrapping his arm around Dan's neck. "You have five seconds to explain," he ordered evenly.

Dan's face was turning blue as his lips sputtered.

"I think you need to loosen up the grip there, tough guy," Makoto poked the older guy.

"Fine," he let go as if Dan was a piece of garbage and resumed to his sister's side, whispering in her ear about something. She looked up and her eyes narrowed.

Usagi on the other hand, was trying for Dan's hair again. "It's not at all like Mamoru's. This guy's blond hair is so, so soft!"

"Uh, Usagi?" Rei asked finally. "Don't you think we should, you know, be careful?"

"Oh right. Okay then, explain please." Usagi waited.

"Yea... um.. bye?" He turned and fled. "I don't want to deal with you freaks anymore!"

"Freaks?" Nigori had jumped the highest, knocking him down as some of the girls grabbed his feet. She elbowed his back with a snort. "Bastard! I'll show you freak!"

"STOP IT!" Eizou shouted. "If he was an enemy, he would've attacked us.. or he's just buying his time..." Eizou thought out loud. "I mean, until we know more, let him up."

"Why don't you like me?" Usagi wailed.

"Oh for the love of God," Rei shouted. "Not everyone likes you, crybaby!"

"Meanie!"

"Twit!"

Dan began to walk backwards, quickening his movement until he turned and began to take great leaps.

"HEY!"

"Aww, I didn't get his name or anything," Kakure crossed her arms in frustration. "He had the cutest hair! Did you see how mess it was?"

"You mean like yours?" Kaiki pointed out.

"It's so not messy," but Kakure absently tried to press her short hair down.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dan wandered the roofs, looking for any clue to just how the hell he ended up here. He was supposed to be in his own timeline, not this place. Again.

"AUGH!!" He pulled on his hair. "Just got to keep that cat away from me." He muttered darkly. "God sake's, if it happens to me, I will kill! I will!"

He jumped down into an alley and found himself in a park. He settled down with a sigh and began to explore his self. He was only covered in slight bruises, the cuts healing when he did his sex change. But he was sore and at the moment, weaponless. Which meant he was either trapped here or he had to ask for help. And he knew only one group that could effectively help him.

"So it's either die or be tormented by senshi," he muttered. It took a moment to realize he was getting stares and for the first time since stopping to rest, he noticed his outfit. Torn, covered in blood stains, people were going to get the wrong idea if he stuck around.

He quickly resumed traveling by roof, retracing his steps. He didn't have much of a choice.

Kakure was cleaning up. Eizou and Kakushi had left first, following by Usagi and her friends and then eventually, all that was left was Kakure. She didn't mind it however. She loved the park to bits.

She pulled a single daffodil to her and breathed in the scent before she stilled, feeling strange.

"Eh?" She turned and saw no one and reluctantly turned away. Again, she turned around and for a moment saw nothing. Until she saw something blond.

"HEY!" She nearly shouted. "Get out of the shadows, will you? I'm the only one left."

"Like I couldn't tell that," He muttered as he poked his head out.

They stared at each other. "Well?" Kakure crossed her arms.

"Err. My name is Dan Lakai Daroshay," he bowed stiffly, never removing his gaze.

"Morino Kakure," She did the same only she allowed herself to blink.

"I seem to be a bit in a situation," Dan began carefully. "See, I'm not from here.. I mean, I am but it's not like.. well, here."

"America!" Kakure offered.

Dan raised an eyebrow. "Ah... what do you think about different dimensions?"

Kakure's face darkened. "They exist. For example, the land of Void."

"Uh huh.." Dan sounded very much uninterested. "Well, -I'm- from a similar Earth only where I come, senshi don't exist."

"That's sad. Are there Shadows?"

"Shadows? Of course there are shadows!" Dan clearly thought she referred to what was always attached to his feet and not what she was.

"So why aren't there no senshi if there are Shadows? We are senshi, you know."

"There's more of you?" He couldn't have sounded more depressed.

"Uh, sha," She beamed. "I'm Shadow Jupiter."

"That guy had a point, you are a little too nice. Don't you think you shouldn't throw caution in the air like that?" Dan asked, perplexed.

"I happen to be a good person of judgment. Besides, I'd have to crush you if you were an enemy."

He couldn't help it. "You mean crush in the physical form or the whole goo goo eyes?"

Kakure's smile faded and her face turned red. "What, don't like girls?" She growled.

"I -like- girls," he said through gritted teeth.

"Then what's wrong with crushes!"

"It's all very juvenile. Don't you think you should, I don't know, grow up?"

Kakure slowly moved forward until they had a foot between them. "What do you want?"

"I want to go home," Dan said importantly. "I am needed with my team and..."

She was examining her fingers absently.

"Hey!" He grasped her left wrist, pulling her to face him. "I need help. Do I have to beg for it?"

"Fine, I'll help you," she said sweetly. He had a sinking feeling. "Let's go see Usag..."

"NO! For the love of God, anyone but her!"

"Sheesh, why do you hate her?"

"She's a baby! And loud! And her cat can make me.." He bit his tongue, swallowing the sentence. "Look, what about Sailor Pluto. She's hot and nice."

Kakure glowered at him.

"What?"

A moment later, he was sprawled on his back, holding his right eye wincing. "What was that for?"

"For ruining my ego!" Kakure walked over his fallen frame as he howled. "Bye bye, Danny boy."

"Stupid little twit," he grumbled. "I'll find my own way home."

He didn't get far when he turned and began to stomp, following Kakure. She never once looked back so he assumed she didn't see him or notice him.

Until he turned a corner and nearly had a heart attack. She was nowhere to be seen. "Fuck!"

"Hey there, Danny boy. Looking for me?" She quipped from a inward doorway to a bookstore. She tapped her toe.

"It's late," She said finally. "Why don't we head to my place and tomorrow, we'll see Setsuna."

"Without Usagi?"

"We'll see what happens. They ARE friends, you know."

"Don't remind me."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dan lay on the couch, listening for anything strange. Sure enough, he heard tiptoeing and he pretended to be fast asleep.

Kakure had an extra blanket and carefully placed it over him with a smile. She turned and tiptoed back out but before the door, he opened his mouth.

"Why are you home alone? Aren't you a little young?"

"Huh? Oh, my dad travels a lot," Kakure answered, flushing. "I thought you might be a little cold."

"Couldn't I sleep in your dad's bed?"

"But you fit so nicely on the couch, being tiny and all."

"I'm not tiny," he sat up hurriedly. "I'm just short."

"I think I'm even taller than you."

"By no more than an inch!" He protested, now tossing the blankets off of him. "Besides..." But he didn't know what else to say.

And anyways, Kakure was ogling him. "Wow.. you work out?"

He had taken off the majority of clothes, borrowing on her father's pajama's pants that he tied the hem into a tight knot so it wouldn't fall down his hips. But the rest of him was clear of clothes.

"A bit," he smirked. "I'm a superhero."

"Really? What can you do?" Kakure smirked back at him.

"Lots of things," he began. "Got a match?"

She frowned. "Uhh.. hold on." She returned with a match box.

"Go on, light it on me," he bragged.

She stared at him with a funny look. "All right.." She said uncertainly. She switched it and placed it on his head. His hair wavered and caught on fire and in seconds, he was dancing around the room, slamming his hands on his head with loud yelps.

"Oh holy fuck! What the.. damn it all!" He swore angrily. "Do that again!"

She raised her eyebrows and this time, had the flame hover over his chest hair.

"SHIT SHIT SHIT!" He resumed his dance, banging his hands against his chest, not unlike a monkey.

"Gee, that's a nice power," Kakure said pointedly.

His eyes bore at her, glaring daggers. "Fine, I'll show you something else!" He pointed to the couch. "I bet I can lift that!"

"Uh huh," Kakure was clearly unimpressed.

"Huhhhh...Uhhhhh.. Hurrr..." His face reddening, his muscles straining, he could barely get the couch's end off the ground, unlike the whole as he had intended.

"What the hell is the matter with me?" He hit the couch and felt pain surge through his fingers into his body. "OUCH!"

"Oh boy," she was clapping her hands, giggling.

"I don't get it," he scratched his hair. "There must be..." His face turned white. "Great! I have no way to defend myself!"

"That's fine, I'll be your protector!" Kakure said cheerfully. "Besides, you'll probably be going home tomorrow so go to sleep now."

Dan watched her exit, his eye twitching. "What else can I do? What's left?"

And his face blanched as he thought of the two things he hated to do but had the ability to do. For one, being a man in drag sucked AND becoming a woman wasn't the greatest opening in conversation. Like hell it would ever come up, not here, not with the senshi or that cat around.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sire, we've located the location," David's voice came out in the headphone set Emperor Daroshay wore. He looked bored as he answered. "Finally, I've been waiting for hours. Have the slaves punished for their slowness, will you?"

"As you wish," David's voice turned off.

"And now, here comes the fun part," an ugly sneer slow grew on the older man's face. "Poor boy, you don't know what kind of trouble you're going to get into." 


	3. Chapter 3

---LATE NIGHT NOODLES-  
Written by Jeffjaffe. Dan (C) Jeffjaffe. Shadow Senshi (C) Wild Nature. Canon senshi/storyline/basis (C) Naoko Takeuchi.  
"Sigh…" Dan stared up to the pale ivory painted ceiling. "What is with this country…" Dan whispered to himself. "Are the Japanese just drawn to me or something?" Dan grumbled to himself as he rolled over on the couch facing the back rest. " I mean, I've got people from Japan trying to kill me, screw me, teach me, stalk me, ruin me, or just annoy the hell out of me." Dan continued to grumble looking back on the three dozen people/demons/half demons he knew from this country. "Ah well… I like sushi anyway." Dan chuckled to himself stroking the side of the couch nonchalantly then closed his eyes to try and get some sleep.."Crap." Dan grumbled unable to sleep. "Well." Dan said to himself slowly sliding himself up along the arm rest. "If I can't sleep…." Dan steadied himself up on the couch pushing the blanket off revealing his skinny but somewhat muscular form and hanging his head down as he stared at his own feet. "I may as well find something to do." Casting his head back, with an open hand he pushed his wild locks of blond hair from his eyes and looked up across the room to the small round clock that hovered above the door way into the kitchen. He couldn't very well make out the kanji written across the face, but he was able to make out the hands. "Two-thirty A.M… glorious. Quietly Dan rose to his feet and snuck into the kitchen which was quite dark. Centering his eyes and concentrating Dan tried to activate his night vision mode. "Come oooon." Dan squinted straining himself and looking quite foolish while doing it. "Just keeps getting better and better." Dan remarked sarcastically as he reached to the left and flicked on a light switch, flooding the small kitchen with light. "So." Dan announced to himself as he made his way over towards the kitchen. "No super strength, no ultra eye, no resistance to flame." Dan counted on his fingers cringing at the last part. "…venus…" Dan whispered under his breath, immediately a flame of emerald energy washed over his body shifting his proportions and body around and with a gust of unseen wind the energy flames blew away revealing her female form. "Yeah…that still works." Danielle sneered closing her eyes and shifting back.

---Meanwhile 5 seconds ago in Kakure's room-  
"Huh?" Her emerald eyes flicked to life as her room was briefly cloaked in the strange green radiation originating from the kitchen. "What was that?" Kakure asked aloud thrusting herself up from her bed. Suddenly her room was washed over with another flash of green light and the sound of flames. "What the?" Kakure asked tilting her head inquisitively. "Better check on Danny boy." She decided nodding her head and pulling herself out of bed. Kakure pulled on her light green bath robe and headed for the door grabbing her crystal on the way out, just in case.

----MEANWHILE IN THE KITCHEN-  
"Moo milk?" Dan asked himself shaking the half empty miniature container of milk. "So that's like…milk from moo's?" He asked squinting his eyes puzzlingly. Dan continued to scower the mostly empty fridge for something that looked edible. "Hmmm, that looks like ham…nope! Definitely NOT ham!" He shrieked putting the mystery meat back into the fridge.  
"YA"  
"Eh?" Dan turned around just in time for his face to be smashed in by a baseball bat. "OMFG!" Dan screamed stumbling back into the kitchen counter while holding his nose. "eeh eeeh…" Dan moaned smacking his right hand repeatedly against the counter in pain.  
"Dan?" Kakure said stunned as she watched Dan clasp his now rapidly bleeding nose.  
"No really?" Dan replied sarcastically rubbing his nose. "Come on…heal…" Dan cursed waiting for the feeling of cartilage reshaping itself. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Kakure dropped her bat and reached out cautiously for Dan. "Your bleeding"  
"Oh really? And I just thought I had a runny nose." Dan moaned looking left and right for something. "Please, just let me take a look at it." Kakure asked reaching out for Dan to move his hands away from his busted up nose.  
"Get back…" Dan snarled. "It'll heal, just give it a moment." "Just let me take a look at it." Kakure replied more intensely.  
"Leave…leave me alone." Dan shivered trying to back away more along the counter poping himself ontop of it and still sliding back.  
"Stop being so stubborn, I just want to help." Kakure pleaded looking into Dan's big light brown eyes intently.  
"…"Unintentionally Dan's rapidly shifting eyes fell upon Kakure's own, for a few moments they exchanged a gaze. "Just get me some tissue." Dan mumbled looking away.  
"Right." Kakure bit her lip and nodded her head rushing off for a cabinet where she pulled out a full pink box of tissues and brought it back over to Dan. "Here…but I'd really like to get a better look at it." Dan snatched the box out of her hands and turned a bit on the counter so that he didn't face her.  
"Why?" Dan asked sternly wadding the tissue together and stuffing it up his nose.  
"Well, I said I'd take care of you, and already I'm bustin' your face in." Kakure chuckled nervously.  
"It's not that bad." Dan grumbled trying to wipe the blood away from his face.  
"What were you doing up at this time anyway?" Kakure asked answering her own question as he eyes fell upon the still open fridge. "Oh… of course! You haven't eaten anything since we found you. It's been almost twelve hours since then hasn't it?" Kakure said worryingly looking to Dan who still had his back turned to her.  
"Suppose so… I had a big lunch though…" Dan mumbled.  
"Well if your looking for food here, you probably won't find anything you'd like." Kakure explained closing the fridge then turning back to Dan. "See my parents do most of the shopping, and when their gone I mostly just order take out, heh." Kakure nervously laughed trying to lighten the situation. "Ha, ha…" Dan replied.  
"How bout we go down the street Hiyo's is open 24 hours!" Kakure suggested excitedly.  
"Are you asking me out now? I was right, you've got it bad for me huh?" Dan chuckled as he finished cleaning his face. Slowly Dan turned back to face Kakure his nostrils now filled with white tissue that jutted a solid inch out of his face.  
"giggle." Kakure's face turned red as she giggled at Dan's ridiculous appearance.  
"What"  
"Your, nose. Giggle" "Great you smack me in the face with a bat then you laugh at the handy work." Dan snickered.  
"Well how bout it?" Kakure asked clapping her hands.  
"Ah what the hell, I've been addicted to Ramen for months now anyway." Dan shrugged sliding off the counter and walking towards the door.  
"Uhh…" Kakure's eyes shifted back and forth nervously.  
"What now?" Dan asked slouching a bit and looking back.  
"Don't you think you should put something else on?" Kakure said looking up and down Dan's thin and short frame. Topless, wearing baggy PJ's and with tissue hanging out of his nose, he certainly look strange.  
"Yeah, I'd better get my cloths…" Dan replied snorting and nodding his head causing his bushy blond hair to bounce up and down a bit.  
"Those rags?" Kakure asked placing her hands on her hips and shaking her head back and forth. "Yeah, sure, my rags." Dan replied waving his hands back and forth in the air.  
"I threw them out." Kakure said crossing her arms. "They were blood stained, torn up and smelled terrible!" Kakure shook her head back and forth with a disappointed expression. "What!" Dan exclaimed looking dumb founded.  
"I can't let a boy as cute as you go running around in those rags, they looked more like something you'd see on a corpse." Kakure continued to argue.  
"Boy? Your, what 16? I'm way older then you!" Dan cursed shaking his head back and forth. "Wait…cute?" Dan stumbled.  
"Of course, you look like an American but your so tiny"  
"Short, I'm just short." Dan grumbled as he stepped towards her. "Anyway, if you threw out my cloths, what do you expect me to wear"  
"Oh, never really thought that far ahead." Kakure giggled to herself. "How bout you can borrow some of my dads' cloths and later on we can go shopping together"  
"Really?" Dan replied with way too much enthusiasim. "I mean, I've got to meet up with Setsuna…and none of your fathers cloths fit me!" Dan exclaimed following Kakure up the stairs to the top floor.  
"Oh I'm sure I can find something…" Kakure smirked.  
-----5 minutes later in front of Kakure's mirror-  
"NO WAY!" Dan exclaimed staring at himself. He was wearing a very frilly red dancing shirt (Think Seinfield fluffy shirt) and super tight leather pants. "Well if you don't like it you could borrow some of my stuff." Kakure giggled.  
"That may actually—I mean… Well yes this will do." Dan shook his head correcting himself and adjusting the tight leather pants while looking into the mirror, suddenly he noticed something. "My scar…" Dan quickly patting/stroking the part underneath his right eye where a jagged mark had once been. "It's gone"  
"Scar?" Kakure raised her eyebrows questioningly. "It's…its nothing." Dan said with a slight smile. "Absolutely nothing." Dan turned and headed for the door. "NOW ONWARD! TO EATS!" Dan shouted walking out of the room and heading for the stairs.  
"Wow, he cheered up awfully quick." Kakure thought to herself.

----------MEANWHILE IN THE DIMENSION KNOWN AS XJ7-136-------

Prince Daroshay scanned the landscape before him. It was a landscape filled with a never ending flow of city trickled with millions of neon lights. "I remember this place…" Daroshay said to himself as David walked up alongside him. "Tokyo… how it used to fascinate me so." "The seeds are being brought through the gateway as we speak sire." David informed looking to his holographic note-board then back to his sire. "Any specific places you'd like to see them go?" David asked.  
"Hmmm…the tower." Daroshay said pointing towards Tokyo Tower. "I've always wanted to see that eye-sore destroyed… I missed out on that the last time we did this"  
"Yes… you were in Sydney then weren't you?" David asked as he typed in the coordinates for the drop ships.  
"Ah yes, the opera house really blew up quite nicely didn't it… I mean, enough of this idle chit-chat! Are their any THREATS in this world?" Daroshay asked cautiously.  
"It is quite similar to our own dimension. However the meta-human quota is much smaller around thirty or so worth mentioning, and if the feed back from initial scan from our drones is correct, only one could be considered a real threat." David explained scanning through a projected list of heroes, for the most part they wore less fantastic get ups preferring to wear leather outfits over skin tight and bright colored uniforms.  
"Who is he and where?" Daroshay asked continuing to look across the horizon. "One, Hirobi Yamibaba." David projected an image of a man wearing long marauder white robes along with a muffler that hid his face. On his back was an extremely long (7 foot long blade) curved Katana. Her wore no mask but a visible third eye hovered above the first pair. "Based in Morocco, he's a psychic with extreme martial arts abilities and speed. He is THIS earths greatest champion"  
"Oh THAT'S interesting. And the odds of him joining our ranks?" Daroshay asked.  
"530311:1…he's rather moralistic. I hardly doubt he'd be willing to align himself with the Rosellas sire." David explained. "Very well. I've killed the fool once, I can do it again. Lure him out." Daroshay announced reflecting on his past. "Just release a wave or two of Creepers, that should do the trick…" Daroshay suggested as a large hovercraft swooped in overhead, in the center of its holding ring was a liquid metal seed roughly twice the size of an SUV. "Have them round up the strong and dispatch the weak and elderly… we'll have no need for them." "Very well…" David reached into his cloaks and pulled out a single cookie jar sized glass bottle of inky black ooze. He raised a small metallic cylinder to the side of it and flicking a few toggles along the side he projected an eerie green beam of energy into the jar programming the restrained Creepers. Tentatively he unscrewed the lid and flung the jar as far away as possible. The contents burst forth flowing out larger and larger till the empty jar lay a few feet from a 60 foot tall 200 foot wide blob of ooze which began to segment itself off into dozens of ferocious creatures. "I'll contact the fly boys to drop their Creeper-Supplies into the city as well sire"  
"Perfect…this ought to draw him out—" Daroshay was interrupted by a burst of purple light just a few km's away accompanied by the sound of flashing tempered steel. "Back, foul demon spawn!" Yelled Hirobi Yamababa as he kicked off with one foot and sliced his way through yet another horde of Creepers. "Oh well that's convenient." Daroshay smirked casting back his long fair blond hair, David quickly typed in a few keys on his wrist communicator and disappeared in a flash of orange light. "How nice of you to show up so early, old friend." Daroshay laughed as his right arm slowly glew bright orange.  
"You are no friend of Yamababa!" Hirobi screamed as he let off a psychic blast, the force of which sent the last line of Creepers flying up into the air.  
"Whatever…" Daroshay grumbled as the orange energy glowing around his arm shifted and contorted into the form of a 5 foot long sword.  
"HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-YAH!" Hirobi flung forward slashing for a kill move at Daroshays upper left jugular. "Nuh-uh." Daroshay smirked as he easily blocked the 7 foot long sword with his own blade. Hirobi pushed with all his might to no avail, he relinquished the pressure, drew back his blade around for a second strike but once more Daroshay easily blocked him.  
"They told me you were fast." Daroshay mocked as he continued to volley with Yamibaba. "You want speed?" Hirobi asked tilting his head a bit. "I'll give you speed." In a flash of purple energy Hirobi disappeared from view and reappeared directly behind Daroshay with his sword ready for a stabbing maneuver. But no sooner could he thrust his sword forward did Daroshay twist around and catch the sword with a bare hand. "Hmf…" Daroshay's eyes burst into an orange flames as a similar energy bled out from his hand and devoured Hirobi's blade. "Poof." Daroshay mocked as the blade disintegrated into dust.  
"What!" Hirobi said with a startled gaze.  
"You are nothing." Daroshay snarled grabbing the surprised Hirobi in a head lock.  
"GRAH! HA! GRAH!" Repeatedly Hirobi shot off psychic blasts directly into Daroshay's forehead but it simply bounced off a briefly flickering orange force field. "The Hirobi I knew was a god." Daroshay snarled as he body slammed Hirobi into the grass. "You are nothing but a mortal that flouts his powers…and his name." Daroshay pushed his weight down snapping both of Hirobi's legs.  
"AAAAAAAAAAGH!" Hirobi cried out in extreme pain as he felt his body bend around on itself.  
"If this is the best this world can offer." Daroshay clamped one of his hands around Hirobis turbaned head. "It's already dead"  
CRACK Daroshay rose to his feet letting the limp corpse of Hirobi Yamababa slump to the ground. Off in the distance a liquid silver seed was dropped directly at the base of Tokyo Tower and in but a few seconds…  
SWOOOOOOOOSH A pillar of liquid metal flew out of the ground straight towards the sky, piercing barbs already beginning to flow out of it. The Tower began to bend and give way as the stalk continued to fly higher and higher. In a few days time the rest of the rose would form but for now the polymorphic based liquid metal would stand erect above the clouds while below the surface the flow of liquid metal slowly cracked away at the earths mantle, slowly reaching towards the core.  
"David." Daroshay reached for his ear piece and contacted his loyal assistant once more.  
"Yes, sire"  
"My presence is no longer needed here. I'll be returning to the portal realm to resume my search." Daroshay instructed as he walked back up the hill towards the tear in space and time that his guards were keeping open. (They close after a given amount of time) with the most powerful matter vices available. "Of course sire"  
--------MEANWHILE ON A STREET IN THE MIDDLE OF TOKYO-  
The streets were mostly empty with only a few people in sight. The light red and pink neon glow lit up the side walks, numerous closed shops sat enshrouded in darkness, above in the night sky a half crescent moon glew a light ivory glow. In the middle of this scene was Hiyo's, what would one consider to be a low scale take away snack shop. Hanging above the tiny store were dozens of red paper lanterns with slashes of kanji written across them. Kakure and Dan had long since already been served and were currently slowly eating their half decent noodle bowls while conversing. Dan had spent nearly a half an hour trying to explain to Kakure what his world was like and what his powers were supposed to be, he explained to her the journey he had taken to get to this universe and his rough theories on how to get back home. Kakure just stared at him smiling the entire time. Quite frankly she didn't believe a bit of it, some guy falls out of a tree and starts babbling nonsense, it really wasn't too far fetched to say he had hit his head way to hard. Still his perfect accent and comprehension of the Japanese language continued to impress her, he couldn't just be another tourist she thought, after all he did seem to know Usagi… Kakure continued to pine away in the back of her mind, trying to figure out who exactly this mystery man could be all the while Dan continued to ramble on.  
"So if we can create an energy influx powerful enough too relaunch the portal…" Dan droned on writing all across his napkin drawing very confusing diagrams.  
"You know what I don't get?" Kakure asked leaning across the counter closer to Dan. "Why didn't the portals stay open like it did last time?" Kakure said poking a hole into Dan's theories.  
"…" Dan stared blankly for a few seconds. "Well uh"  
"How about this, stop obsessing about finding a way home, and take some time to enjoy yourself while you're here." Kakure suggested. "I mean if your team really needs you, won't they come looking for you?" "Well I suppose that's true…and its not every day you get to visit an alternate reality…" Dan shrugged between slurping up a few more noodles. "Come on Dan! How about instead of meeting up with Setsuna, we go and buy you some new cloths." Kakure said bringing up her suggestion once more. Dan looked at her for a few moments then cringed a bit. "Ah what the hell." Dan said smacking his palm against the counter. "This pessimistic attitude isn't getting me anywhere anyway. Your right, I should treat this more like, a…a"  
"Vacation?" Kakure asked nodding her head.  
"Yeah! Exactly!" Dan yelled out with a smile and in doing so earning himself some strange looks from the chef behind the counter. "And I can be your body guard!" Kakure shouted punching and jumping into the air.  
"Oh no, not that again!" Dan squealed reaching over to pull Kakure back down into her seat.  
"Oh you know I'm just kidding, now come on, hurry up and finish that!" Kakure said pointing back to Dan's food. "We have a big day tomorrow"  
"But it's already 3:00 am." Dan moaned mouth filled with soup broth and noodles as he wolfed down the last of the soup.  
"Oh your right… We have a big day today!" Kakure corrected herself.  
"Yeah'll right." Dan mumbled as he finished the last of his soup and slid off the stool. The couple began to slowly walk their way back to Kakure's house. "So you still haven't told me. What do you got against Usagi?" Kakure asked looking over to Dan.  
"The two of us have some history." Dan replied trying to tip toe around the facts.  
"You mean the Usagi from your universe?" Kakure asked.  
"Yes… I guess… I guess it's kinda stupid isn't it?" Dan said, thinking to himself: If my powers aren't working here, and if these people don't know who I'am, the whole Sailor Energy thing is probably just as redundant! I've got nothing to fear!  
"What is"  
"Holding grudges against people that don't even know you. I guess I'll be nicer around Usagi from now on… and her cat." Dan smiled convincing himself that he had nothing to fear.  
"Well that's good." Kakure smiled thinking to herself: Alright I did it! I'm not quite sure how I did it but I got him to stop worrying about an aspect from that imagined life of his! If I can keep this up maybe he'll stop thinking about "going home", maybe I can fix him!  
"Brrr…" Dan shivered for the first time in nearly three years. "Why's it so cold out?" Dan asked as he wrapped his arms around his thin red shirt.  
"It's not that cold… (Celsius so ummm think cold wind in the morning cold) Kakure replied shrugging a bit, before pausing. "I mean, don't worry I'll keep you warm!" Kakure announced out loud, Dan's eyes bugged out momentarily before he felt something soft and light green fall on his shoulders. "Here you go." Kakure smiled lightly as she finished placing her sweat/coat around Dan's shoulders.  
"Uh…this looks bad." Dan said shifting his eyes hoping nobody just saw the GIRL place HER coat on the GUY. "What do you mean? You were cold so"  
"Well what about you?" Dan asked with real concern to his voice.  
"Hey didn't I say I'd take care of you?" Kakure asked repeating herself for what felt like the fourth time that day (third actually). "Well I guess as long as nobody notices…" Said Dan looking left and right. Chat-chat-chat Dan's his eyes shifted back towards Kakure, she was already shivering and was now chattering her teeth together rapidly. "I, think you need it more then me." Dan said handing her back the green winter jacket.  
"No, I'm supposed to protect you, I can handle the cold." Kakure replied shoving the coat back into Dan's arms.  
"Hey, I'm from Canada, I can take it. I just…haven't been out in the cold for awhile…" Dan explained whispering the last part and shoving the green winter jacket back onto Kakure.  
"You're my guest!" Kakure shoved it back to Dan.  
"I'm Canadian!" Dan shoved it back to Kakure.  
"Oh thats it!" Kakure said stomping her foot on the ground and not moving another inch. She unbuttoned a few pieces in the back and rushed forward behind Dans back, wrapping the coat around him once more.  
"I thought I made my point-" Dan paused briefly having noticed not just the fuzzy feeling of the winter coat but something else, something much warmer. "clear"  
"You don't feel cold at all…" Kakure remarked snuggling slightly closer to Dan as she continued to squeeze into her side of the coat.  
"What is this?" Dan asked still a bit shocked and feeling quite awkward.  
"It's called a compromise." Kakure stated matter of factly. "We both wanted each other to wear the coat, so now we are." "Uh….okay." Dan said nodding his head with a somewhat confused smile. "I'm not going to argue this any further." He announced remembering his promise to stop being so pessimistic. Sure he was stuck mind-shatteringly far away from home, sure he'd lost all of his powers, but right then and their on that little grey, metropolitan strip of Tokyo. None of it seemed to matter.

---END CHAPTER 3--- 


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMERS: Shadow senshi and other OC characters related to BSSMShadows (C) 2006 - 2007 Wild Nature. Dan, and this storyline is (C) JeffJaffe. All other characters are (C) their respected artists/creators/mangaka.

Chapter Four: Sideline, Please

The man pushed through the looming Gate with a malicious sneer. "MUAHAHAHAHA! I have finally found you! I knew this would be as easy as.. as..."

Prince Daroshay's smile faded. "What are these pink things?"

David was staring. "And those other creatures.. oh boy, I think we took a wrong turn, Sire."

"Hey! I've never seen that type of Pokemon! It must be a element dark," a short boy with black sharpened hair and a hat that he twisted back as he howled. "Pikachu! Go!"

"Pika pika!"

"You idiot! You didn't punish the slaves properly now it's your ass on the line!"

"Pikachu, thunderbolt!"

The two men shrieked as their skeletons flashed numerously and once cleared, their heads smoked as Prince Daroshay said grimly.

"I suppose I have time to conquer here. First thing we do, kill that fucking rodent and his jackass master!" He screamed, jabbing his finger at the boy who was talking to Pikachu for a follow up attack.

"As you wish," David spoke, smoke wisping out from his lips.

"Pikachu! Agility!"

"Please," David caught the creature in his fingers. "Now either you help us out or I break your neck."

Pikachu let out a strangled cry. "Good boy."

The boy uttered a wordless cry and fled.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morning rose as Kakure pulled the blanket over her head. She shook her head and groaned. Having a late, late night dinner wasn't the best of ideas, especially if she wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep with the sun in her face.

And that and she kept hearing noise in the hallway. "Just what the hell are you doing?" She shouted, stomping out. Dan was fiddling with his pants, his hair wetly pressed on his scalp.

"I borrowed some better pants but the damn zipper's caught!" He complained as he jerked on the said nuisance.

"Would you like me to help?"

He looked up, his eyes glittering. "Like hell I'd let you touch me!"

"I gave you my coat!"

"And that was very nice but you were the one that was cold."

"We shared!!"

"And again, thank you," He doubled over and a echoing of a zip filled the hallway. "There we go."

He stood up. "How do I look?"

"What happened to a shirt?"

"Oh fine," he pulled on the oversized one he had snagged and he tugged it over his shoulders. "How about that?"

"Sexy."

"Damn straight!"

"If you weren't so short.."

"For the last time, I'm not short!" He placed his hands on his hips.

"You gay too?"

"What?!" His face turned red. "We shared a jacket!"

"I already said that," she bounced past him as his gaze dropped inadvertly to the short hem of her nightgown.

"For someone who's so tomboyish, you've got a firm ass."

She stilled at the bathroom door. "You lousy little.." Her face was red as her eyes glared at him before he took off, she following at his heels. He was laughing as she attempted to catch him.

"At least I can run!" He shouted as he turned and went into a wall. "Fuck.." He fell backwards, wincing.

"And you're a klutz," Kakure smirked. "My turn to shower. You try to keep yourself from getting hurt.. badly."

"Stupid twit," Dan grumbled.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kakure stared at the table where Dan was doodling. Well, at least that's what it looked like to her. But there was a lot of math merged into it. "Umm... what is this?"

"Plans to give to Sailor Pluto. I want to make sure I enter the right timeline."

"But don't you wanna stay a little longer?" She leaned over slightly, her shirt partially falling open.

He watched her with renewed interest as a tiny smile tugged on his lips. "I supposed I can think of two reasons to say," he eyed the silken bra she was showing off unaware.

"What? What are they?"

He stirred himself. "Err.. why not show me around?"

"Sure!" She reached down and dragged him up. "Let's go, Danny boy!"

"Don't call me that!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This was unbearably easy. And with these energy levels, we can sustain so much more than when we use the slave sacrifices," Prince Daroshay grinned. The world had been decimated in hours, falling easily to the massive diseases he passed out from his 'secret' stash. "And not to mention, they're so cute!" He pet the head of Pikachu he had placed on a staff. "I've always wanted to lengthen my stuffed creatures. These will go for a hefty price!"

David nodded mutely, wisely holding his tongue.

"Now, let's see where the configurations went wrong and make sure we get it right THIS time?" He asked pointedly.

"I'll get right on it," David bowed. "I will be back as soon as I've finished."

"Good, good."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"We've been walking around for hours! Feed me!" Dan complained.

"But I haven't shown you the fountain! It's very pretty!"

"I'm a guy! I don't go for cutsy things."

"But aren't you sensitive?"

"Sensitive as a eel," he grunted as he followed, stomping after her as he crossed his arms and glared at the back of Kakure's head.

"You have shiny hair," he said finally, after watching the locks bounce up and down. "But it's rather... surreal."

"And your hair is soft like a baby's. You've got a baby's height or maybe a three year old... Yea, a three year old."

"Was I looking for insults? It's not like -I- was insulting you. I was merely commenting on how fake your hair is."

"My hair is not fake!"

"And I'm not a baby!"

They stood face-to-face. "Are you finally going to feed me?" Dan asked crossly.

He was seen shouting as Kakure tossed him into a pile of garbage bags.

"Hey!" The storekeeper began shouting. "Get outta here!"

"Stupid.." He rubbed the debris off him as he glowered but Kakure was nowhere to be found.

"Augh.." He threw up his hands in defeat.

He found her munching on a snack she purchased. He stared at her with glowing red eyes. "Excuse me.."

She held up a free hand where she had a second snack. "Hungry?"

He took it with a sigh as he sat next to her. There was a few minutes of peace before a voice came out.

"My, my, my! Who do we have here?" Nigori smirked as Kaki studied the other person.

"Hey! It's shorty!" Kaki said gleefully.

"I am not.. oh, forget it!" He stuffed the rest of the snack in his mouth. The words he said after that weren't good for light ears so it was a good thing his mouth was crammed.

"Are you on a date?" Nigori asked in a near whisper. Dan began to choke behind Kakure who looked like she didn't know how to answer that. He danced behind them, the others ignoring him as he hit his chest numerous times with his balled up hands.

"Need.. drink.." He choked out.

"Oh, is that what you need?" Kaki pulled out a water bottle. "Here you... go.." She faltered as he snagged it and began to chug.

"We.. are not.. on.. date.." He gasped out. "We're looking.." He hiccupped.

"You drank it too fast," Nigori pointed out.

"Duh," he muttered before he hiccupped again.

"Hold your breath!" Kakure offered.

"No! Go upside down and drink milk!" Kaki suggested.

"Or wait until his face turns blue," Nigori snickered as Dan attempted to hold his breath in.

But a lingering hiccup ruined the moment as he stamped his feet.

"Here, another drink?" Kakure went to a vending machine. "Here you go! It's tea."

He eyed it as his teeth were seen being gritted. He drank slower this time as Kakure counted on her fingers. There was a moment of peace before Kaki finally broke out.

"So is this a date?"

Dan glared.

"I thought he was an enemy. I mean, Kakushi was quite clear," Nigori began.

"It's not a date!" Kakure was protesting.

Dan rubbed his forehead tiredly. "I wonder if I jumped down something high enough, I could kill myself."

Eventually, the two left them alone as Kakure sighed. "Let's go home. I can make something there.."

It took over a half an hour to make it just before nightfall.

"Well, that was waste of time," Dan spoke darkly. "We should've gone to see Pluto."

"How is it that you know them?" She asked as she unlocked the door to her home. "The senshi, I mean."

"How do you know them?" He asked testily.

"I'm a senshi, in a way. I'm called Shadow Jupiter. I rule over foliage."

"Wonderful..." He looked up at the ceiling. "How I know them is a very touchy subject so I'd rather drop it."

"Fine. You keep your secrets, I'll keep mine."

"You? You have secrets? You're easier to read than a picture book," Dan teased.  
She flushed. "And you're not? Every emotion that you feel is like a different expression. I can take pictures and tell what's the angry, sad, or gay one."

"I AM NOT GAY!"

"And I'm allowed to have secrets!"

"Like your little crush?" He teased a little too loudly.

By this time they had entered the living room as she snagged a throw pillow. "Time to run, Danny boy!"

He grabbed another pillow as they dueled. One of them ripped and feathers flew over the living room.

"Augh.." Kakure grabbed her throat. "I swallowed one!" She choked.

"Here, let me see," Dan moved forward only to be up-headed by a pillow.

"Got ya!"

He gave up on the pillow as he pulled her to the ground. She kneed under his chin as he gritted his teeth, seeing stars.

"Cheap shot!"

"Trying to pin me is also cheap!" Kakure giggled as she shoved him back with her shoulder. "Come on, get off me!"

"For me being short, I can get you pretty good."

"Yea, you're not the only one!" She elbowed him in his diaphragm as he lost a moment's breath.

Eventually, the two gave up and lounged on the couch and chair. The television buzzed nearly muted.

"So when is your dad coming home?"

"I don't know. It's summer so he's usually gone for a week or even two. It's not that long, really.." She yawned.

"And your mom?"

"Passed away when I was younger," she shrugged. "Happens."

"Still, it must be awfully quiet at night."

She frowned at him. "What? Are you trying to depress me? It's not working, you know. I love it here alone. I feel secure."

"People can still come rob you.. and even worse things."

The glare slowly grew. "You are a sick, sick boy."

"I'm not a boy."

"Are too... Danny boy."

It took a moment before she fled, once more having Dan on her heels. 


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5 REFLEXIVITY IS THE MAD SHIT!

"Oh your, SO going down!" Dan cried out while snagging a throw pillow and racing Kakure down the hall. Kakure quickly glanced back catching site of her pursuer rapidly swinging the pillow case overhead. "Hey! No fair, I don't even have one!" Kakure squealed as she turned a corner.  
"This will be for that cheap shot you gave m- WHHAAA!" Dan screamed as his socks slipped up along the heavily glossed wooden floor, sending the big haired Canuck sliding out of control. "WHOA, WHOA!" Dan thrashed wildly as he swayed back and forth while trying to regain his footing. When suddenly he felt a tug on the back his jacket, and the feeling of his equilibrium being restored. "Do you ever stop being such a clown?" Kakure asked raised a light green eyebrow questioningly while a wide and sly smile crossed her face.  
"Sigh…" Dan hung his head down slightly feeling slightly embarrassed by the constant mishaps he had managed to get himself into over hardly more then a day…wait a second, this sort of junk happened all the time around the gang back home, and he never felt embarrassed or ashamed. Why did it matter so much now? "Thanks for the save." Dan sighed pulling away from Kakure and heading down the hall ahead of her.  
"Erm, where are you going now?" Kakure with a puzzled expression.  
"Your fathers bedroom is behind this door right?" Dan asked pointing to a heavy closed door.  
"Yeah…what about it?" Kakure asked suspiciously. "It's locked…" Dan announced as he shook the door handle loosely. "You got a key"  
"Why do you want to go into my dad's room?" Kakure asked placing her hands into her pockets.  
"Sleep." Dan remarked as he continued to jiggle the knob. "Hmmm"  
"Well it's still hardly past four. I could call Setsuna and the rest of her gang. I bet you want to show her those plans of yours…ummm…what are you doing?" Kakure paused watching as Dan continued to jiggle the knob more and more vigorously as though following a pattern.  
"You don't go toe to toe with some loon in a robe who calls himself THE DARK LOCKSMITH on a constant basis and NOT learn a single thing about locks"  
CLICK "They're we go." Dan sighed as he swung the open and stepped into the mild unventilated room. Sniffing the air he picked up that stagnant smell all rooms left unlived in gather after a while. Looking left and right he noticed a great deal of photos and random souvenirs littering the room. Shrugging his shoulders he collapsed onto the giant king sized bed.  
"Hey! I don't mean to be rude, but I really can't let you stay in their." Kakure said as she quickly marched down the hall into the room. "If my dad notices one thing moved or out of place, he'll freak. I mean it's bad enough I have you staying here with out even contacting him or, or"  
"Snoooore….snooooore…" Dan had already passed out on the bed his back facing up, his face just barely reaching the mid point of the beds mattress, nearly half of his body was hanging off the side of the bed as well.  
"Wow…that was fast." Kakure stared blankly at the already fast asleep gaijin. "I mean, that couldn't have been more then three, four seconds." Kakure then thought to herself again, just HOW much sleep had the two of them had over the two days…not a lot…then her thoughts turned to other things, namely the young man passed out on her fathers bed. Despite the small wet spot of drool already surrounding Dans lowers lips, he still appeared to be quite adorable. She couldn't help but remember something Usagi had mentioned concerning Mamoru. "They really do look younger when they're asleep." Kakure thought to herself.  
"Oh…god…" Dan moaned already dreaming about who knows what. "Why Ernie…why?" he hollered rolling back and pulling a part of the cleanly laid bed sheet with him. "Mutilated…Hooker bits…evveeerrywhere…" Dan slurred as he finally stopped muttering in his sleep and resumed silence.  
"I guess I'll head back out…or something, then." Kakure muttered speaking to the all but comatose Dan. "Buy groceries…food….that…kind of thing." Kakure tried to slowly back out of the room but still her eyes kept glancing back to Dan. "Nyeeeeeeeh…" Kakure stomped the floor rapidly trying to fight back the voice in the back of her head. 'Come on, he'd never know…are you insane, I hardly know the guy…and yet you can't stop thinking about him? That has got to be self destructive right they're, no way, I'm leaving, going to go to T and C pick up a few things, look at yourself your already going domestic, what don't be ridiculous I'm just taking care of a guest. 'A super hot guest.'O.O "Where'd that come from?" 'Oh that was just me the libido part of your mind, never mind me, he really isn't that hot, kinda scrawny. And you are? Oh I'm the commonsense part of your mind…you know the part that makes you buy diet instead of regular cola… "Ack could you…you…disembodied thoughts settle down I'm trying to think here!?" Kakure hollered out loud rapidly ruffling her hair almost Dan style. 'You know what, just kiss the jerk.' "What?" 'Hey common sense is finally singin' my song!' 'No I'm simply following logic here, obviously our girl is infatuated with him, if she can kiss him most likely the excitement generated by a crush will be diminished to the point in which she can move on and continue with her life….' 'Blah! Your no fun you know that…take the joy out of everything.' 'Better then being a slut.' 'OH NO YOU DIDN'T!!!' EXISTENTAL SLAP!!! "ARRRRGH!!!" Kakure screamed at the top of her lungs drowning out the voices, oddly enough Dan didn't awaken. "Wow…" Kakure approached Dan by the bed side hunching down a little bit. "He really is out cold." Kakure muttered with a shocked expression as she gently poked Dan in the face.  
…  
…  
Slowly and silently she moved closer towards his face. Kakure squinted her eyes briefly before closing them. "Just one little"  
"Uh…." Dan's eyes opened wide along with his mouth…the second part would have been impossible of course, IF Kakure had actually succeeded in kissing Dan on the mouth. "Are you sucking my nose?" Dan squinted with a confused/half awake expression.  
"Ah!" Kakure doubled back, somehow she must of missed them, or maybe his head moved slightly, either way she was freaking. "Eh, uh, ah"  
"THAT'S JUST FUCKEN WEIRD!" Dan's brow furrowed as he finally fully contemplated what had just happened. "ACK!!! For Christ sake, why?" Dan flinched moving back along the bed.  
"I…I was just…" She was trying really hard but no appropriate explanation was coming to mind.  
"A crush is one thing, but honestly…this is Love Hina brand stuff right here." Dan now quite awake despite only sleeping about three minutes was now standing on the opposite edge of the bed.  
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. You were really fast asleep and I just thought"  
"You'd bite my nose?" O.o Dan's eyes quivered back and forth with a confused expression.  
"I WAS TRYING TO KISS YOU"  
"On the nose"  
"ON THE LIPS"  
"You kissed my nose"  
"That's only because I missed your lips"  
"HOW do you miss lips?" "I don't know… I…I don't know what happened, I just closed my eyes and I just missed, okay!" "Wait…you closed your eyes"  
"Well, yeaaah, how else do you kiss someone"  
"Duh, with your eyes open… I wouldn't want to end up kissing the girls nose for Christ sake"  
"No body does that"  
"My eyes are always open when I kiss…then again I mostly get kissed by surprise what with…" Dan began to mumble thinking back to Freta and her frequent stalkieness…  
"Most people don't do that"  
"Wait a second… you were trying to kiss me?" Dan paused his mind finally catching up to the situation completely.  
"Uh…" Kakure just shot back a blank stare.  
"Whoa…" Dan's eyes drifted down as the full weight of it all fall on him. "That's cool… I guess"  
"So your not mad?" Kakure said with a slightly happy expression.  
"Yeah… I guess I'll be alright. Just don't sneak in on me like that next time." Dan muttered as he rolled back into bed.  
"OK." Kakure nodded her head, left the room and closed the door behind herself.  
KAKURE AND DAN AT THE EXACT SAME MOMENT: Wait a second…did I/he just say…does that mean that he/I.  
"Why did I just say that?" Dan whispered to himself as he ruffled the pillow underneath his head. "I mean did I just invite her…I mean she is cute and everything, and nice, and she does seem to have a thing for me… and its like what Quanta man says…what happens in the parallel universe, stays in the parallel universe…" Dan nervously looked to the door. "Wait, no way… what am I thinking? Not about getting home, that's for sure! Yeah, I need to concentrate on that, I mean who knows how much time has passed? When I was attending Polymorphics with Lilian a week passed for every 48 hours…that was until Game Box messed the space time continuum making everything more… screwy... the hell with it, I'm going to Trista's place tomorrow for sure.

Meanwhile Kakure was pacing back and forth within her room. "What did he mean by that? It's okay? Is what okay, that I accidentally kissed him or that I kissed him?" Kakure continued to stress over the question clenching her fists. "Grrrrrrr…" Kakure growled out of frustration and anxiety stomping out of her room she marched down to her fathers room. Maybe she could get a straight answer out of him.  
SNOOOOOORE Dan's snoring was already so loud that she could hear it by standing right in front of the door.  
"RMMMM…" Kakure cringed not wanting to wake Dan up again but still having to deal with her anxiety. "I've got to get out of here." Kakure turned and walked back towards her room at a quick pace shouting "Nepheline Shadowed Earth, Make up!" vines ripped out of thin air covering Kakure's clothing forming into her Shadow Jupiter uniform. Shoving the window open she crouched down and with one final push threw her self out the window. Straightening out in mid air Shadow Jupiter slowed down unnaturally in her free fall. Extending her left toe out she tapped the pavement kicking off into the air a few dozen feet gliding unnaturally slow for someone in midair. "Hup!" Kakure huffed kicking off tapping off a lamp post then a power line and then the roof of a small building continuing to rise ever higher till she reached the top of a 12 story building. Letting her eyes scan the horizon she took note of the setting sun. "So this was day two huh?" Kakure said aloud. "And theirs still a million questions floating around!" Kakure screamed out her frustration small electrical sparks bouncing off of her form. "Wait…maybe." Kakure turned her attention towards the general direction of Usagi's place. "Hm." Kakure narrowed her eyes and drew back her right leg getting herself into a sprinter position just before kicking off! Running at incredible speeds and taking long/wide leaps she pushed on back flipping and spinning across the gaps between buildings.

---MEANWHILE AT USAGI'S PLACE-  
"Could you please stop that…it's really starting to creep me out…"LUNA, said tilting her dark purple head to the side slightly.  
"If I'm supposed to be a princess then I will dress like one." Usagi bellowed back.  
"Yes, yes, we all know your Serenity…but…well this is just a bit too creepy." Luna replied back her right eye jittering a bit. Usagi was standing in front of her mirror wearing a bizarre assortment of cloth that she had OBVIOUSLY sewn together into the form of a gown, topping off the costume with a plastic Tierra Usagi continued to pose in front of the mirror. "Maybe…maybe I should talk to Artemis about that…" Luna said under her breath hoping Usagi wouldn't hear her…if only she could be so lucky.  
"NO! I THOUGHT WE HAD AN AGREEMENT!" Usagi screamed throwing herself towards Luna. "I bought you pop rocks, and you wouldn't tell any body about…about…my hobby"  
"We had no such deal, your just making things up." Luna replied shaking her head back and forth but already Usagi was back in front of the mirror rapidly stroking her hair.  
"I'm a pretty solider, I'm a pretty solider, I'm a pretty solider, I'm a pretty soldier, I'm a pretty soldier"  
"Oh bother—" Luna picked up her head sensing the rapid approach of a shadow. "You dope, get out of those rags, someone's coming!" Luna spazzed out not wanting to have her charge caught in the act, the last thing they needed now was everyone to know just how deranged their leader was becoming.  
"Rainbows and lollipops and pennies everywhere! And everything that's wonderful and keeps you smiling"  
"YARGH!!!" Luna leaped forward claws out, landing on the back of Usagi's make shift gown she began to pull down as hard as she could pulling the dress off to reveal a T-shirt and a pair of baggy track pants underneath.  
"HEY! You'll ruin that—" Usagi stopped fighting over the gown when she heard a knock on her door downstairs causing her and Luna to freeze.  
"Well, go get it then." Luna motioned towards the door.  
"Grumble…" Usagi mumbled under her breath as she headed for her front door. "What is it?" She asked as she pulled the door open. "Hi!" Kakure now transformed back into her previous clothing said waving a hand, her face was red and she was panting slightly heavily.  
"Oh, it's you." Usagi grumbled slightly. She figured it would be Eizou and not one of her lackeys.  
"Can I come in, I've got a few questions I'd like to ask." Kakure asked putting on a slightly nervous smile.  
"May as well." Usagi shrugged stepping out of the door way.  
Kakure walked into the living room taking a seat on the light beige couch in the center of the room while Usagi went off to the kitchen to get a drink. After a few minutes she came back with two bottles of water tossing one over to Kakure. "Well what do you want to know"  
"Well, do you remember that boy that fell out of the tree yesterday"  
"The screaming one?" Usagi asked raising an eyebrow.  
"Yep, what do you know about him?" Kakure asked.  
"What do you mean?" Usagi asked with an increasingly annoyed expression.  
"I mean, where is he from? How do you two know eachother? Look I don't mean to pried, but I'm really concerned about him, so can't you just put aside whatever grievances you have with him and tell me what you know?" Kakure asked with a concerned expression. Usagi just stared back blankly for a minute.  
"I…don't…know…hiiiiiimmmmm." Usagi hissed back a giant vein throbbing on her forehead. "Could you please stop asking me that… it is really getting on my nerves"  
"uh…so I'm not the only one bothering you about this then?" Kakure asked with a sheepish smile.  
"Yeah…really." Usagi rolled her eyes.  
"Then why does he think he knows you?" Kakure asked continuing to scratch away at Usagi's nerve.  
"I don't know, maybe I look like some girl he knows back in America, all the girls there are blond anyway." Usagi quipped flipping back her pigs tails.  
"But, I don't think he's really from America. I mean he was probably born they're but I don't know, his Japanese is flawless, the accent everything , you'd swear he's lived here his whole life!" Kakure argued reflecting on how strangely fluent Dan was.  
"So, he's probably just one of those Otaku nerds we're always hearing about." Usagi shrugged thinking back to all of that not quite tasteful fan art she had received over the years. "Regardless, I'm taking him to see Setsuna tomorrow. That will sort things out once and for all, well at least in his mind." Kakure nodded her head agreeing with herself.  
"Huh?" Usagi looked back at Kakure with a look of confusion.  
"Oh, he thinks he's from a different dimension." Kakure flicked her fingers. "I guess you didn't know that"  
"Different dimension?" Usagi titled her head with an increasing confused look.  
"Yeah…I guess I should be leaving now then." Kakure slowly got up from the couch looking to Usagi with a worried expression.  
"Ugh…when will it end!" Usagi cried out just as Kakure left her house. Luna bounced onto the top of the couch and perched herself next to Usagi's shoulder. "I'm following her." Luna narrowed her eyes. "Something feels a bit off here"  
"Eh?" Usagi tilted her head still lost in the entire fray of the events unfolding before her.  
"A boy falling out of the sky, claiming to be from another dimension, I think I should meet this American." Luna explained as she leapt off the top of the couch and down to the cushions.  
"Don't you have anything better to do then spy on random foreign people?" Usagi asked with a somewhat stern face.  
"I'm a bloody house cat…" Luna replied with a straight forward expression not feeling it necessary to explain herself any further.  
"Yeah, good point." Usagi nodded her head in agreement.  
"And nooow…SUPER ULTRA KITTY TELEPORTATION!!!" In a flash Luna warped out of the room much to the puzzlement of Usagi.  
"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?" Usagi tilted her head even more. "Since when could she"  
"Do what?" Luna was standing next to the door frame.  
"But you, just…I saw you…teleport"  
"Teleport? Don't be ridiculous, I'm only a talking magical cat." Luna scoffed tilting her head up all pompous like before breaking into a full power dash out the doorway and towards Kakure's home.  
---MEANWHILE-  
Prince Daroshay stepped out of the portal to be greeted by yet another version of Tokyo. It was insanely clean lacking a single piece of trash or dust, the sidewalks were perfectly formed lacking a single grain of dirt, the structures were oddly feudal in shape but still composed of near futuristic plastics and steel, rising hundreds of feet into the air. The Prince gazed across the area taking note of just how quiet and peaceful everything was, the only thing missing was…the people. Birds chirped and insects buzzed about but still no a single unnatural noise could be heard.  
"This is…strange." David commented as he stood next to his lord while taking down notes. "I'll have the scanner droids brought in immediately to gather the necessary information before we call in the buds." David went on as Daroshay continued to slowly step forward admiring the pristine beauty of this world. "Scan for all bio-signatures first…" Daroshay ordered as he walked along a small wooden bridge over a bubbling brook. "This is a very, fine park"  
"Ye..yes sir it is." David replied awkwardly a bit put off by his lords change of mood.  
"I'm going to take a look around." Daroshay replied in a slightly off beat tone while he charged his feet with orange kinetic energy. "I'll be back in an hour or so." Daroshay kicked off the ground rocketing dozens feet into the air closing his eyes and allowing himself to breathe in the crisp clean air as he reached the two foot mark where he slowed down hovering above the earth. From this height he could see nearly all of the city but not a single vehicle rumbled down the streets. "Hmmm." Daroshay leaned forward slightly before slinging himself forward through the air head first. Gliding across the city he built up his speed ever higher and higher till the shrill sound of a sonic boom erupted behind him. "AH, HA,AH HA!" Daroshay squealed as he spun wildly through the air ripping across mountain ranges and eventually ocean. "FULL POWER!!!" Daroshay screamed breaking into a huge speed boost he tore his way across the pacific and hit main land china in a matter of minutes, ducking down he glided into the harbor of Hong Kong, boats bobbed up and down along the docks, water beacons continued to blink but still not a single person could be sighted. "JAH!" Daroshay leaped back up into the air gliding higher and higher a giant grin across his face, which began to change to become overshadowed by a giant silver, fish shaped space craft. "Heh?" Daroshay tilted his head a bit a confused look across his face. "Oh." The ship was coming down very, very fast. "HFFF." Daroshay closed his eyes tightly thinking back to the harbor and in a flash of orange light he teleported away just before the giant silver fish plummeted past his previous position. "Hufff…" Daroshay panted sweating a bit, having not teleported such a distance in a long time. Looking back up and straightening his posture he watched as the enormous vessel landed just out side the harbor. "A space craft"  
BAMF!  
"Yes a space craft." "WHAT!?!" Daroshay flipped around to meet the gaze of slightly taller man with long silver hair and dressed in a blue military coat. A white porcelain mask hung between his forehead and the tip of his nose. Zippers were strewn all across his uniform.  
"Who are you, and what are you doing in my kingdom? You are trespassing." The man hissed with an angry expression as he began to pull a long sword out of the sheath strapped to his back.  
"Hirobi? Didn't I just kill you?" Daroshay replied flicking forward his index and his middle finger the orange energy sword burst to life.  
"Would you like to try it again?" Admiral Hirobi asked squinting his eyes and readying his sword.  
"Why not." Daroshay squinted back as he brought his sword down to its ready position.  
"SCHRAW!!!" Both screamed at the same time as Admiral Hirobi struck down with his sword while Prince Daroshay stroked upwards with his own. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOH The swords collided in a flash of light that enveloped the entire scene, the wind twisted and contorted around the combatants creating a small tornado while the earth beneath them broke away underneath their feet into a giant gaping crater that continued to grow ever larger as the two opponents pushed each other ever further. Suddenly a furious flaming aura of purple burst out from Hirobi's body while Daroshay's own orange aura broke loose enveloping the two completely. The ever growing aura's clashed and tore into eachother neither gaining or loosing more as the purple and orange energy bubble grew ever larger causing the boats in the harbor to rise into the air and crumple in on themselves. FWWWWWWWWWWWOOOOSH The docks fell to rubble and the ocean shot up around the two creating a huge circle of water that closed in around the duelists.  
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!" Both screamed at the top of their lungs as they exerted more and more force upon each other neither giving way. Their aura's continued to buckle and churn within one another until finally the power became over bearing and the bubble of energy imploded upon itself flowing back into the two combatants who were sent flying in either direction by the excess force given off. "Ooff…" Prince Daroshay shook the rubble off of himself as he pulled himself out of the earth. Looking forward his eyes followed an indented path from the now flooded dock out into the open water where the giant silver fish shaped space craft had capsized. Their was absolutely no sign of Hirobi at all.  
"Come out, Hirobi." Daroshay shouted out to the empty scene. "I know I didn't destroy you." Daroshay called out sensing Admiral Hirobi's titanic power level.  
SPLOOSH The water in the middle of the waters bent upwards in a smooth arc which began to shed away revealing Admiral Hirobi. "And I apparently didn't even scratch you." Hirobi muttered as he glided across the surface of the water back and into the edge of the city. As he passed over the ruins of the docks the rubble rose back out of the water and reformed. The torn apart boats reassembled and resumed their placements from before.  
"Are powers are perfectly even. The counter balance is keeping us from harming one another…isn't that right?" Admiral Hirobi suggested just as the reformation was complete.  
"Clearly." Daroshay replied rolling his eyes slightly. "Some people never change do they." Daroshay examined the admiral a bit more. The two of them were not that different anymore. Both roughly the same height with virtually the same flat and length of hair, their body form was also almost identical. "You apparently seem to know me…but how?" Hirobi asked sheathing his katana.  
"I do not know YOU, but I have known many like you." Daroshay began to explain. "I come from a different dimension. One in which…you were…murdered." Daroshay thought back deciding to keep a bit of the story from the Admirals ears.  
"Why are you here." Hirobi asked with a threatening gesture.  
"To conquer." Daroshay replied. "With my army…although I'am having second thoughts"  
"I would suggest that you do. Your forces will hold no chance against my own." Hirobi crossed his arms defiantly.  
"So there are other people on this planet"  
"No…not anymore." Hirobi replied sneering a bit.  
"Then your army?" Daroshay asked with a little snicker.  
"Hmf." Hirobi clicked a hidden button located on his the collars of his wrist and a small beam was shot into the sky. Then dozens, then hundreds, then thousands of space craft of various sizes sank down from the heavens. ""My army." Hirobi replied throwing back his arms as even more ships rained down from the skies darkening the sun with their mighty hulls. "25,136 ships strong." "Impressive…but if we want to compare notes…" Daroshay advanced towards Hirobi a bit more. "TRY THIS!!!" Daroshay struck his hand forward so that he collided it with master psychics forehead. Daroshay immediately began to broadcast his own thoughts into Hirobi's mind transmitting the images of hundreds of thousands of battle suited soldiers, hordes of creepers, millions of alien foot soliders, fleets and armada's numbering in the hundreds quick shots of every world he had conquered throughout his native universe. "I rule 348 inhabited planets Mr.Yamatake…each one is armed…each one has an army"  
"Who…who are you?" Hirobi asked with a nervous almost terrified expression.  
"I'am Prince Daniel Lakai Daroshay III." Daroshay replied with a superior expression. "Now tell me…where have all the people gone"  
"There is no reason for me to tell you a damn thing." Admiral Hirobi replied turning his back to Daroshay. "I know when I'am outmatched, but…this is my world"  
"What have you done to it." Daroshay asked again now with a sterner expression.  
"That is none of your concern." Hirobi replied with an aggravated expression.  
"You, will tell me everything!" Daroshay cried out charging his palms with orange energy. "Or I will take it from you. POTANI!" Daroshay struck his palms forward while Hirobi attempted to teleport away, but Daroshay had expected such a maneuver and placed a track and draw back command on his psychic tendril.  
"AARRRGH!!!" Hirobi broke down to the ground thriving in pain as his mental blocks were edged away at and his memories flooded back into Daroshay's mind.  
Flashes of the creation of machines, the destruction of cities, disease spreading rapidly, Hirobi screaming in a lab, the site of thousands of body bags, explosions, the reconstruction of cities, of Hirobi fleeing the planet, of the life cycle of the planet being twisted and altered by a increasing insane Hirobi in a lab, the sight of Son-Son having her tail ripped out along with her spine, the sight of Sakura collapsing to the ground her eyes and ears flooded with blood. And finally the site of Hirobi walking along the empty streets of London England.  
"Fraaaaaaaah." Daroshay gasped violently as he returned to consciousness. The quick snippets were disjointed and hard to follow. Hirobi in the mean time was collapsed in front of him apparently struggling to pull out his sword and slash at Daroshays feet while he was in his trance.  
"GET OUT OF MY HEAAAAD!!!" Hirobi screamed out straining against the orange aura tears running down his eyes.  
"Back." Daroshay flicked his fingers relinquishing Hirobi and bringing him back up to his feet but 20 feet away none the less. "You…you murdered them all." Daroshay replied horrified for the first time in his life.  
"I did not murder anybody!" Hirobi screamed thrashing his head back and forth violently. "A disease struck, I tried to fight it, tried to develop a cure, it only proved to be a more violent disease… I retreated to the stars with my friends and family, tried to create a machine that could undo it all…restore everything to, before all of this horror even began... the machine certainly corrected everything…it was supposed to restore balance make earth a paradise…it certainly did so, but it left one thing out of the equation"  
"Man." Daroshay finished Hirobi's sentence. "It found them to be destructive…so it unwrote them from existence…right?" Daroshay asked.  
"Then, then they all betrayed me…everyone of them…they had to be exterminated, they had to die, I had no choice… I had no choice." Admiral continued to ramble on reflecting back on all the survivors he had savagely murdered. "God damn it! It's been 60 years! 60 years of paradise, a heaven with no people." Hirobi cried out. "And the first person I see in all of these years, I attack"  
"Your lying." Daroshay said matter of factly. "You created the disease…I saw it all Hirobi"  
"NO!" Hirobi cried out hunched over like a pouting child.  
"You wished to wipe out all those you considered evil…all those you considered to be defective. It cost the lives of hundreds in the experiments but eventually you found the root gene of all evil"  
"NO NO NO NO NO!!!" "You built this machine, this perpetual perfection machine to make the world perfect for your future perfect generation of humanity. But you forgot one thing"  
"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!!!" Hirobi cried out the painful memories he had regressed were beginning to come back now. He had spent the last 6 decades convincing himself of a fake story and now the truth was finally coming out.  
"The evil that lurks in all mans hearts is not to be found in just a selective group, it is rooted in free will. All you managed to do was create a virus that could never be stopped. When your friends begged you to stop, you murdered them, even when your female counterpart broke away to end your reign of terror…you murdered her." Daroshay explained as the memories he tapped became more and more clear. "Your just a sick monster"  
"GO AWAY"  
"And that's why I'm going to let you live and your world live." Daroshay replied crossing his arms and smiling.  
"What…" Hirobi looked up his eyes were now quite red behind the mask.  
"Your powers are my equal, and my army is always looking for new talent"  
"Why would I join you…" Hirobi asked crying out. "Your no better then I'am. You think I can not read your mind? I've seen it all, you're a greater monster then I'am, you haven't just killed one world you've killed dozens. All in your thoughts your mind, it's all I hear, half the time, your thoughts, your past, there is no way to turn it off!" Hirobi cried shaking his head wildly. "Everything was so perfect before you came, everything was silent"  
"I can teach you to control your psychic abilities…to create blocks, and as my servant. I will allow you to take people from their respected worlds and into this dead planet. Think about it, you'd be a savior to billions whose lives you deem worthy to save. To populate this empty paradise. You would be a god to them!" Daroshay continued to suggest.  
"Your offering me, a second chance?" Hirobi asked with an almost grateful tone to his voice.  
"I have never met anyone that equaled me in power." Daroshay shrugged. "And your fleet…could prove most complimentary to my own"  
BEEP "My lord, scans are complete there is only one other life form on the planet but the rest of this world appears to be perfectly alright for harvestation." David informed Daroshay over his interlink.  
"My men will destroy this world in a heart beat." Daroshay hissed pulling out a command bar. "So will you join me? Or will you truly let this world die?" Hirobi looked around then to Daroshay. Here was a man many times more evil then himself, yet now he appeared to be showing mercy which was suspicious to say the least. Of course their was also the matter of if he'd be willing to let this world die. Hirobi sighed then went down on one knee.  
"My lord"  
"Rise." Daroshay instructed. "David…cancel all bud launching…their has been a change in plans…" A sly smile drapped across Daroshays face as Hirobi rose once more.  
--------------------BACK IN TOKYO QUITE A BIT LATER!---------------------

Kakure stepped in through her back door and into the living room. Having spent the last 3 hours wandering the city, checking out shops and checking up on friends most of whom were too busy with last minute homework. Glancing up to the clock… "7:43"…Kakure sighed, usually she'd be alright with spending the weekend at home alone without much to do. But this Dan boy had changed everything, now she wanted to do something, and felt very antsy about the entire situation. "Maybe I should just call up the girls…though I hardly know half of them." Kakure rolled her eyes. "Eizou is probably busy with her family and… oh bugger, I'll just watch TV." Kakure collapsed on the couch and flicked the remote on. "I wonder whats on the fashion network." Kakure half heartedly mumbled as she flicked to the station her eyes beginning to become glazed over with the light of the television set.  
-1 hour later-  
Now practically half asleep Kakure had shrunk down in her position on the couch, slouching and tipping her head back and forth. "Eeeh…" Meanwhile in the room directly behind her, a certain purple cat was sneaking in. "Hufff…huff…" Luna wheezed as she struggled to pull herself into the house. Chasing after Kakure for the last 5 hours had proven to be exhausting for the tiny feline. "She…just couldn't go…straight home. Could she?" Luna moaned as she collapsed onto the hard wooden floor. "Urrghh…that presence…" Luna said in a hushed tone as she began to claw her way across the floor with what little strength remained in her body. Sensing Dan's presence she continued to drag her self towards the closed door of Dan's room. "Merrrrrrooow." Luna cried as she scratched at the door trying to reaching up to the impossibly high knob… "This is so unfair." Luna moaned as she collapsed to the floor. "Hey Kakure!" Dan swung the door wide open smashing Luna into the opposite wall.  
"MROW"  
"What was that?" Dan thought to himself looking across to the door. "Weird." He shrugged as he walked about the house. "Kakure, I'm hungry again…Dan need food…" Dan walked into the living to room to find her passed out on the couch. "Ahhh, man… well if that's the case I'm going back to bed." Dan grumbled walking back to his room where Luna was just beginning to make her way around the door. Dan of course didn't notice this, nor did he notice that when he slammed the door behind himself he crushed half of Luna's tail in the door. "What the?" Dan moved the door in and out. "Looks like it's jammed on something"  
"………….." Luna bit her tongue not wanting to give herself away. She was of course screaming in her head. On the fifth strike Luna managed to pull her throbbing tail out of the door frame just before it closed. Rolling away as quickly as possible Luna took shelter under the bed.  
"Hmmm, most of gotten the kink out….though that doesn't make any sense at all." Dan commented before landing back on the bed and promptly falling asleep and snoring again immediately.  
"Grumble, grumble." Luna rubbed her crooked tail furiously. Then paused. "That presence…" Luna crawled up along the over hanging bed sheets stealthily. "Could it be?" she asked herself approaching Dan ever closer. "But, this, this has to be impossible. How could, why would?" Luna's head shook back and forth wildly as she struggled to under stand it all. "But he is a man, I have no recollection of another male sensei other then Mamoru… I must be wrong but then again…" Luna stepped across lightly walking along Dan's torso and up to his forehead. "I can't believe none of this is waking him up." Luna thought to herself as Dan tossed his head back and forth snoring madly. Slowly she reached out with a paw towards Dan's forehead. "Reveal." Luna commanded, seconds before a pale yellow light beamed out from under neither paw. "Ah!" Luna drew back her hand immediately in shock to reveal a bolted lightning bolt etched in with yellow energy. "Huh, uh…Luna looked back and forth with a worried expression, she looked back again and watched as the marking faded away. "Sailor, Energy…but you were never reborn, atleast, that is what the ancient text's read…you predate the silver millennium…how is this possible?" Luna asked herself looking with a horrified glance towards Dan. "Should I?" Luna asked herself looking down to Dan's heart. "If he truly is a Senshi and Universal class Senshi, and if he was to be trained… we would be unstoppable. But still, he may not even know it yet… he clearly isn't right in the mind from what I've heard." Luna continued to speak to herself. "Right, there is only one solution to this. "Luna bent down on Dan's chest before launching herself high into the air. "Sailor Energy, awaken!" A beam of blue energy shot up from Dan's chest and began to swirl and hover in the mid air twisting and contorting into a ring shape before hardening into a chrome disk with a pure white diamond cut into the center and a tiny yellow lightning bolt floating in the center. "Well that cinches it, he is another lost…prince?" Luna thought out loud. "Now I probably shouldn't just jog him awake and force him to transform…I must report this to Usagi immediately!" Luna announced to herself, forgetting to return the crystal of Dan and choosing instead to flee, hoping up onto the bedroom window sliding it open and leaping out. "I must hurry!" Luna said rushing out of the shrubs behind Kakure's house, and into oncoming traffic. A large Honda screeched its way towards her. "Oh bugger"  
SPLAT!  
Luna flopped along the side walk her paws stroking at the sky wildly, as her vision slowly faded to black.  
-----The next day-  
"Alright, lets do this thing!" Dan shouted out as he walked into the kitchen completely a totally refreshed with 18 hours of sleep. "Hey, nice uniform." Dan commented as he took a box of what "looked" like cereal off a shelf. "Um, I probably should of mentioned this earlier." Kakure mumbled tapping the spoon against her bowel of oat meal. "Mentioned what? That you like to wear cute Fuku's? You know I have a friend back in my world who wears them all the time, she's a bit of a whiner but---wait a second! That's a school uniform"  
"Yeah…" Kakure replied with a no duh expression. "Because I'm going to school in 10 minutes, we'll go to Pluto's place AFTER I get home around 3"  
"But, but, school is completely unnecessary! I mean I dropped out , and look at where I' am today!" Dan announced with something of a proud expression across his face.  
"Jobless and mooching off a girl you just met?" "Hey you invited me here that means no moochy." Dan replied shaking a finger towards Kakure across the table.  
"Still." Kakure replied. "Don't you think you should be doing something for me in return? Maybe you could I don't know, clean up around here"  
"Oh come on, its hardly even…." Dan began to look around beginning to take notice of the dust and various messes that lay around the house, bits of dirty laundry and papers littered that house. "All that…" He continued to look around. "Is that blood on that wall?" Dan asked with a worried expression as he pointed across to a slash like marking running along the wall.  
"Oh that was a bean paste cooking accident gone horribly wrong. Now look here." Kakure pulled out a long piece of paper and slided it across the table to Dan. Here are a list of things you can do while I'm out." Dan began to scan the page.  
"Wash dishes, sweep, buy groceries!?! These are jobs a wife would do!" Dan cried out in protest.  
"And your point would be?" Kakure asked with a sly grin.  
"I'm not your bitch!" Dan replied.  
"Do you have to throw a hissy fit like every 10 minutes?" Kakure asked shaking her head with a I don-know expression.  
"Well… I suppose I could try and do a few of these things…" Dan grumbled half heartedly.  
"Great!" Kakure replied with a big grin a she got up from her chair, walking over towards Dan to pick up her bags, she darted down and gave Dan a tight hug. "See you at 3 then"  
"Eh!?!" Dan looked back blushing. "Yeah, sure?" Kakure headed for the door but couldn't get out before Dan blurted out. "You have really big boobs for a 15 year old you know"  
"Eh….." Kakure stared back blankly. "What, how couldn't I notice their like OUT THEIR! Plus you just squeezed them against my back"  
"Pervert." Kakure turned and closed the door behind herself.  
"Huh? Pervert? What did I say that was so…bad….oh….ooooooooooooooooooooooooooh…..oh crap."

----1 hour later-  
"Stupid, moping the floors with stupid mops, with their stupid uh…moping" Dan grumbled incoherently as he stroke the heavy filthy mop up and down Kakure's kitchen. "I wish I was home…Trisha or Brian would take care of all this…or I could like build a super mop with the power of a thousand mops all in one! I should write that down…super mop…then again it may go the same way as the super toilet…so much…plunging." Dan shivered upon that recollection. Dan continued to stroke up and down for another 10 minutes before he deemed the work done. "Yeah, I'd deem this done." I just said that… "I know you did." WHAAAAAAAAA!?! "I guess I should go make my bed now…" Wait…so you can't hear me then? That was weird… anyway Dan entered his room and began adjusting the rumpled sheets lining his giant mattress. When a hockey puck sized disc fell out of the sheets and clattered to the floor. Dan stared down at it for a few seconds. Scratched his his head a bit, then bugged out his eyes with his mouth falling to the floor, he then began to hop about madly screaming bloody murder for a bit before composing himself. Then looking to the power crystal again and immediately freaking out again. This pattern continued for about an hour or so until he stopped. "Okay, power jewel apparently followed me or something…that's okay, we'll just keep it safe and away from anyone else…" Dan spoke with a very creepy calm Mr. Rogers voice. He took the crystal and shoved it into one of the many pockets of his new zipper jeans that he had picked up the previous day while shopping. "Now to go grocery shopping…yes...that's what I'll do,ehehehehehhehehehehehhehe…." Dan laughed nervously as he threw on a coat, grabbed the grocery list and headed out the door. Stopping only briefly to chuck the power crystal down the first sewer line he could find. "Good riddance!" Dan screamed out getting a few odd stares from passerby's. "Uh, evil gold fish." Dan muttered looking to the various people watching his display. "Yeah…" Dan broke into a run for the local grocery store, not taking the time to look behind for the blast of yellow and blue light that shot out of the sewer line and into his back pocket, reforming into the power crystal once more.

--------------------4 hours later----------------

"Wow!" Kakure's eyes bugged out as she gazed across her home, Dan had (albeit unexpectedly) really cleaned up the house well. "I can practically see myself in the floor"  
BAMA BAMA BAMA (Sound of Dan rushing towards Kakure as quickly as possible carrying several bags) "OKAY OKAY LETS GO LETS GO!" Dan shouted hopping up and down. "I'am soooooooo ready to go home now"  
"But, don't you want to eat something first?" Kakure asked with a sad expression.  
"I'll stop at a McDonalds when I get home to my own dimension." Dan replied "Now, lets go, lets go see Trista!" Dan squealed running on spot.  
"Okay…wait Trista"  
----At Setsuna's place-  
The walk over had been and awkward with Dan constantly looking forward while Kakure repeatedly glanced to him. After awhile they finally arrived at Setsuna's dormitory and made their way up the several flights of stairs to her personal room.  
"So Trista is living in a dorm now?" Dan asked with an intrigued expression.  
"Why do you keep calling her Trista?" Kakure asked scratching her light green hair.  
"Well that is her name, Trista Meioh." Dan nodded his head. "Wait we are talking about the same Sailor Pluto here right?" Kakure questioned Dan just as they reached the 4th floor and opened up the door into the hallway.  
"The freaky super genius astro-physist, master of space and time, and totally hot Sailor Pluto of the Outer Senshi?" Dan asked describing the one he remembered.  
"That sounds like her." Kakure shrugged, though I've hardly met the girl. "I only know her address because Eizou got a phone book of all the other senshi's from Usagi"  
"Well where I'm from we call her Trista…which come to think of it is a strangely English name." Dan pondered to himself just as they approached room 436. "Well here we are"  
---meanwhile inside the room---

"Wow hit by a car you say?" Setsuna asked while speaking on her phone, flinging back her long dark green hair briefly to get it out of the way. "What did the vetenarian say? Will she be alright?... in a few weeks huh. Well can she …talk? Oh well I'm just wondering. She can't huh…crushed throat and torn up crescent moon…well that's too bad, though I don't think Usagi will be complaining, now will she." Setsuna said with a creepingly serious tone.  
KNOCK KNOCK.  
"I'll have to call you back Haruka, I think I have some visitors." Setsuna hung up her phone and slowly made her way across her tiny dormitory room to the door.  
"Hey! Setsuna, what's happening?" Dan fumbled forward acting as friendly as possible.  
"And you are?" Setsuna asked raising a dark green eyebrow.  
"Uh, hey Setsuna…" Kakure pushed Dan out of the way to actually be noticed. "I think we met up a few times, I'm the Shadow of Jupiter"  
"Oh yes, Kake right?" Setsuna asked as Dan sputtered trying to get her attention back.  
"Kakure actually…now my friend here, is from a different dimension." "What?" Setsuna froze with a look of wtf.  
"Yeah, so he says. And he's looking for a way home, we were wondering if you had anything we could use, or if you have any ideas?" Kakure asked trying to keep a straight face.  
"Here are my calculations!" Dan pulled out the napkin from before and handed it to Setsuna her eyes immediately began scanning the page as she tried to comprehend what it all meant. "Well!  
"Well, I'll give you this. You definitely under standing Trans-Qaulimer physics. Which is actually a frightening thought seeing as only I and about oooh NOBODY knows about it! Kakure shot the door…now." Setsuna ordered as energy began to throb around her.  
"Wait no don't transform here!" Kakure rushed back none the less to close and lock the door.  
"PLUTO CRYSTAL POWER-MAKE UP!" Setsuna roared and in blast of light pink energy transformed into Sailor Pluto. Raising her staff she pointed it directly at Dan's head. "Who exactly are you"  
"Like she said , I'm from a different dimension, okay, calm down. In my dimension you taught me this junk. I figured it may be able to help me out here." Dan shrugged.  
"Why would I share this kind of information with you?" Setsuna commanded, using the small talk to forge into Dan's past, however all she could see was what had occurred in the last 3 days all in broken flashes. Apparently he was telling the truth that or something very big was at work here.  
"You were drunk." Dan sighed shifting his shoulders up and down. "You thought because of my gadgetry, I'd be interested, and for some reason I actually listened"  
"Kakure, is their anything here your not telling me?" Setsuna asked looking to Kakure with a serious expression.  
"No! Thiers nothing more too it!" Kakure cried out trying to look sincere.  
"Well this stuff is useless." Setsuna grumbled crunching up the napkin and flinging it into the trash.  
"Eh?" Dan slouched down with a defeated expression.  
"And the only thing I've got to help you is this ludcrisously unlikely artifact I have on me that I made just to spite my mysterious over lords." Setsuna continued to explain as she rummaged through a cardboard box until she pull out a glass vessel filled with green liquid and gilded in golden and silver decoration. "Spite your mysterious over lords?" Kakure asked with a confused expression.  
"Yeah the guys who told me to never leave my post…and to never freeze time…and to never smile… I just like getting on their nerves to be quite honest. So I thought, wouldn't it be fun to break a rift in space and time in their dimension, you know for shnits and giggles." Setsuna shrugged.  
"Wait…so this will allow me to cross dimensions then?" Dan asked struggling to follow everything Setsuna had just said.  
"Percisley… Just hold onto it and try to visualize in your mind where you want to go. You may as well keep it too, I've already used it"  
"Ah, neat, a souvenir." Dan chuckled while Kakure watched him with a sad expression.  
KNOCK KNOCK.  
"Now who is this?" Setsuna thought to herself shape shifting back into her civilian form. Walking up to the door she unlocked it to find a man in a lab coat bouncing up and down wildly. "Mrs. Meioh! We need you in the lab immediately!" The small man screamed. "The professor needs you"  
"What's going on Takamei?" Setsuna asked racing to her closet to grab her lab gear.  
"We've detected strange vibrations coming off form Quadrant 20 Gx5000FG8UJNOA!" Takamei blathered on cringing his hands rapidly.  
"Hey don't I know you?" Dan began to ask squinting at the university student.  
"I'm sorry to leave you two but we've got to run." Setsuna shouted as she raced forward and out of the room.  
"Uh, thank you?" Kakure and Dan expressed gratitude at the exact same moment, creeping the two out a bit. "Soo"  
"Let's do this." Dan held the green cylinder high above himself and thought home, using all of his will to conjure up the most visible image of the Tracto-Barn he could and those that reside in it. "Yes! I think I can feel it! Feel the power!" Dan laughed as sparks of emerald energy began to spark off of him. "Ha, ha!" Dan laughed throwing back his head as the electricity like vibes danced around him he began to float slightly above the ground.  
Kakure couldn't hold it in any longer, "Wait! Don't go! Not yet!" Kakure cried out rushing forward to Dan and grabbing a hold of his leg as he hover a few feet off the ground, her weight began to pull him down.  
"Wait, hey, let go!" Dan cried out as the emerald energy continued to become more and more intense. "What are you doing"  
"I don't know what I'm doing, I know this is what you want, I know this is what is right but…but…oh god…" Kakure looked up to Dan and noticed something a BIT peculiar. "Uh, is your hair getting longer?" "What!?!" Dan felt his hair, it was indeed growing longer nearly an inch every few seconds. But not only that but it was becoming lighter, silkier, smoother. Hey raised his hands in front of himself and watched in horror as they slowly became thinner, smaller and smoother his nails becoming more properly curved and less miscut and broken. His chest began to protrude and get much, much more heavy. "Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh nooooo!" Dan cried out just as his voice began to rise. "LET GO OF ME!" Dan knocked Kakure away. "AH!!" Dan fell flat on his face.  
"Eh?" Kakure shook her head and held up a pair of blue jeans the pair Dan had just been wearing. Apparently her grip had caused them to be pulled off along with her.  
"YARGH!!!" Dan squealed in a much higher pitch as the emerald energy began to consume his body completely, rapidly he ran off (While covered completely in green flames) into the nearest room, (which just so happened to be the bathroom) and slammed the door behind herself.  
"Dan, you um lost your pants…" Kakure said with a shocked yet almost giggling voice holding up the jeans while still sitting on the floor. Of course, Kakure thought, how could I have ever believed something silly like his little stories. The device can't work if his "dimension" doesn't exist! Everything is going perfectly to plan.  
"You can keep them!" Danielle shrieked back. Resting her hands on the bathroom sink Danielle looked up to the mirror reflection of herself. "Yaaaaargh…" pulling at either side of her cheeks Danielle stretched her face downwards making her eye lids look all creepy. "Change…come on chaaange." Danielle muttered over and over again. She looked to her left hand which was still holding onto the Space Time Pike. It appeared to be cracked and was spitting out bits of green goop. "Damn it, Guardian and Angel Heart told me about this!…the magic in this thing must of set off a chain reaction…two separate magic's can not interact, only one can over ride the other….apparently the V-Virus is more powerful, go figure." Danielle mumbled slumping over the sink curling her hair in her index finger absent mindedly… "Oh man why didn't I remember any of that junk those two taught before I tried this…come on chaaaange…" Danielle scrunched up her eyes trying to trigger the metamorphoses back into Danielle. "Damn it…that magic feeding on itself junk…that must be what this is…the whole one magic absorbing the inferior…which means…ah crap, I'm stuck like this for atleast… 3 days…" Danielle reflected thinking back on how the curse used to work in its purest form. "That is if I don't leave the local area…like I did last time." Danielle reminded herself of the gross error she had made the first time this had happened, when the curse had become temporarily permanent. And I can't stay in here for that long…  
"Dan?" Kakure knocked on the door. "Look I can understand if your upset… but don't you see? This proves that your not really from a different dimension. Come on, this is your home, it is now and always will be." Kakure said in a soft tone hoping it would draw Dan back out. "I'm…" Danielle replied shortly it just began to sink in. "Oh maaan…" Danielle side stepped and took a seat on the toilet cupping her face inbetween her palms. "She's… she's right. This was supposed to be my way home…what am I going to do now…but then again…maybe, maybe she's right. Maybe all of my memories…" Danielle looked down to her protruding 34C's. "Okay maybe some of my memories, are nothing but dreams…" Danielle thought it out for a bit. "No way it can't be it's too much…it's too…much." Danielle continued to cry to herself tears streaking down her face. "Damnit…Sniff." Danielle grabbed a roll of toilet paper and blew. "Why do I always end up crying when I'm like this." "Dan…are you crying in their?" Kakure asked with a worried tone. "Come on, cheer up." She raised her voice giving it a chipper tone. "You know what, how about you come out on a date with me tonight and we can talk this all out, see what we're going to do from here"  
"I don't wana." Danielle said back trying to lower her voice as low as possible in a poorly faked male tone. "You won't wana"  
" Oh please, lets not beat around the bush, I really like you…and…well don't you like me too?" Kakure asked.  
"Maybe a bit." Danielle replied.  
"Whats up with your voice? It sounds…weird." Kakure stepped closer to the door.  
"Well…" Danielle dropped the crappy accent. "What's the use"  
"Dan…um, your kind of freaking me out here." Kakure replied commenting on Dan's bizarre voice change. "You sound like…a"  
"Look, Kakure." Danielle began cutting Kakure off. "You know what they say, about a guy's feminine side, and how he should try and get more in touch with it, or something like that." Danielle slowly began to open the door.  
"Eh"  
"Well. I can do that…it's just that… for me." Danielle finished opening the door and revealed her 40 inch long hair slightly curly blond hair, 5,0 height, even bigger eyes, and even more feminine body dressed in a now slightly stretched black T-Shirt and a pair of boxer that now looked more like shorts. "It's a tiny bit more literal." Danielle cringed a bit and put on a very fake smile praying for the best reaction. Kakure just stared at the bizarre sight her only response:  
"Wha?" 


	6. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMERS: Shadow senshi and other OC characters related to BSSMShadows (C) 2006 - 2007 Wild Nature. Dan, and this storyline is (C) JeffJaffe. All other characters are (C) their respected artists/creators/mangaka.

Chapter Six: Trouble In Paradise

Kakure stood there for a moment, a blank look glazed over her. "Oh! I get it..." She said weakly. "Candid Camera?"

"No!" Danielle flushed. "Look, it's kind of a thing I can do.. more like a curse really.." She stuttered, trying to get Kakure to stop staring in stunned silence. "Say something!"

Kakure blinked. "So... is this.. like your real form?"

"NO!"

She covered her ears. "Then why did this..."

"How the hell should I know! For all I know it's your fault!" Danielle nearly wailed. "You shouldn't have grasped..." She was looking at her pointed hand. "Do I have nail polish on?"

Kakure shook her head and turned to leave, her breath caught in her throat. "This is not fair! The first guy I like is a girl!"

"I'm NOT A GIRL!"

"Take a look in the mirror!" Kakure waved furiously. "You've got the looks, the anatomy, and even the voice! What the hell happened?!"

Danielle sighed. "It's a long story but it involves me being able to, well, change sex."

"And how does that help me?"

"Hell if I know! What would you become a man for?" Danielle asked a little too snidely.

Kakure's eyes narrowed. Danielle flinched. "Sheesh, women are really sensitive!"

"I'm sure you would know," Kakure glared.

They stared at each other. "This isn't helping."

"I'm still in shock."

"Judging by the fact that your jaw is still on the floor, I'll have to agree with you on that."

"DAN!"

"Well, actually, Danielle is ..." She stopped there, Kakure's eyes glaring fire. "Fine.. Dan is fine... well, now.. I need to find a way to go back to normal."

"And how is that?"

A long pregnant pause issued forth before Kakure ran her hands through her hair. "All right, all right. It looks like Setsuna is busy, we could try Ami's. She's a girl genius, after all. But it's now, yet again and quite conveniently, getting dark. We'll just go home and discuss this."

"Sure.. discuss.." Kakure grasped the other girls' arms and tugged her out of the room.

"Grab the bottle!" Danielle said suddenly. "It might help."

Kakure pocketed it and nodded to her. "Ready?"

Once back at Kakure's home, Danielle sat on the kitchen table, thoughts fleeing in her head as she tried to figure out what went wrong. She had a distinct feeling it was something about Kakure, if not physical, perhaps something more?

"Here. You look really pale," Kakure noted of Danielle. "Are you feeling all right?"

"At the moment? No, not really. But.." She eyed the food and ate it for the momentary silence, her head still trying to grasp something.

"Kakure.." Her voice came out carefully. She took note of the other's intense study of her persona and although that would normally creep her out, maybe Kakure was trying to find a solution as well. But Danielle needed to ask because it may have been the problem for her to go home. "What do you think about me?"

She asked it in a general, vague way, not really wanting to word anything specific. She certainly wasn't ready to figure it all out for herself but hey, she's had fans before. Surely that was what Kakure was.

"I think you're beautiful."

Danielle turned red. "No! Not.. not like.. really? I mean! NO! As a.. as a, you know.. guy?"

"I think you're beautiful," Kakure said it this time, looking down at her feet. She couldn't even so much as peek at him. "You're very sweet... if clueless. And you have the most shining eyes and when you smile..."

She heard a thunk and a groan. "You asked me!"

"I know, I know... so um.. it's just like fandom?" She asked.

"Oh..oh.. well..." It was Kakure to get a red face. "I.. no.. it's something.. more.."

She continued hurriedly, as if trying to get all of her thoughts out before she lost her nerve. "I'm always alone.. I have friends now but I was lonely and having you around.. makes me happy... you're like a beacon of light to me.."

Danielle closed her eyes. "It's not a crush, is it?"

"I.. I..."

"Please, don't say it. It's not worth it. Once I get back to normal, once I get a way home, I'm going to be gone." Danielle said this as gently as possible, making as minimal eye contact with the other girl. "I mean, look at me..." She laughed feebly.

"I don't care..." Kakure said hesitantly.

"Yea, like you would date me like this? A girl?!"

"I would!"

"Will you stop trying to make me feel better and realize how big this is?" Danielle nearly shouted.

"I just.."

"You just latched onto the first guy in your life to pay you attention.." Inside, Danielle was screaming at herself to shut up but if she left Kakure like this, a lovesick puppy, then she'd have done more than break a heart, but breaking a spirit which she couldn't stand. "And you won't let me go home!"

"I just.. I... I'm sorry.." Kakure practically ran out of the room, her eyes filling with tears.

Danielle felt the sting in her own eyes. "Damn it... why do women feel so much.." She rubbed her eyes, sniffling even more loudly.

Danielle walked up the hallway carefully, listening with care. She didn't hear a single sound until she entered the master bedroom. She sat on the sheets, once more rubbing her face.

She eyed herself with disgust. "Damn it..." She looked out of the window, her thoughts slowly consuming her.

'What if I did stay?' A tiny voice whispered. She waved her hand impatiently in the air. ' I mean, is it so bad?'

She shrugged, studying her fingernails. 'No, it isn't, now is it?'

'Why not then? You actually have someone who likes you! And you..'

Danielle shot up and began to pace. "Hey, I like her but that's it! It's not like I.. I mean, I'm a confirmed bachelor!"

"And here I am still. If I really wanted to get home, out of this situation, wouldn't I have done so by any means? Is she why I..."

She turned and walked out of the room. "I mean, yea, she's cute, funny, sweet, and..."

"She sees me for what I am. She gets me..." She stood at Kakure's bedroom door and knocked. "I need to just talk.."

Kakure opened it and the two stared at each other.

"I'll stay."

Kakure stared with a slowly spreading frown.

"What?"

"I.. err, I want to stay."

"I don't understand.. You don't want to.."

"I love you."

There was a moment of silence.

"Granted, I'm in girl form and I can't promise you anything but I'm sure we can work on things and I..."

Danielle nearly was thrown on the floor as arms wrapped around and there was another stunned silence as Kakure tilted her head and for a moment, there was a brush before Kakure pulled away, a giggle coming from her.

"I don't normally kiss girls but for you, I'd make an exception."

Danielle smiled, the blush moving rapidly. "Eh heheh...Kind of like a dream come true.."

Kakure quirked an eyebrow. "And what does that mean?"

"It's every guy's fantasy!" Danielle said brightly.

"OW OW OW!" Kakure grasped the other's ear and tugged. "I'm sure it's a common thing!"

"For guys you mean!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" But Danielle was laughing, her fingers grasping Kakure as she tugged. She was still stronger even as a girl and the look certainly wasn't at all feminine.

"It's not you haven't lost your personality," Kakure quipped.

"So.. ah.. where do we go from here?"

"Maybe Setsuna can help again?"

"She's not exactly trusting of me," Danielle pointed out.

"Than maybe it'll wear off?" Kakure suggested.

"That would be a good possibility!"

"Great! Then let's get a good night sleep!"

Danielle stood at the threshold. "Can I come in?"

"What?"

"I feel strange sleeping in your old man's room," Danielle lied.

"Oh well.." Kakure eyed her own bed. "I don't know..."

"Hey, I can sleep on the floor!" She said brightly.

But it didn't turn out that way. Kakure had to literally drag Danielle to her bed, not for anything save to be more comfortable but Danielle wasn't expecting to be held so gently.

She rested her head against Kakure's shoulder, Kakure looking up with half closed eyes.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She asked impulsively.

"Nothing.. I can see why people like to be together. It's comfortable and soothing," Kakure smiled sadly. "My father is never home. My mother died early on and he seemed to stop caring, you know? I didn't think I would be warm like this.."

Danielle shifted. "So why are you letting me close like this?"

"I don't know. I knew I could trust you. I mean, you're obviously bizarre.."

"I am not!"

"You fell from the skies!"

"All right, all right.."

"But you're like me. We're lonely."

Danielle laughed bitterly. "But I've never been able to handle any relationship. I mean, over half the time I'm not aware of anything!"

"But you are now, right?" Kakure blinked innocently at her as Danielle flushed.

"Oh well, yea. You kind of spelt it out to me."

"But how else would you know?"

"I had inclinations.."

"But that's not enough! Words are important too! Dan.." Her fingers reached out and touched the other's hair. "So soft.. are you sure this isn't your.."

"Trust me! I'm all man!"

Kakure blushed, looking away for a moment. "You need to sleep."

"So do you!"

"I'm trying to comfy!"

"Hey, you're not the only one in a awkward position. I may end up shoving you off or something!"

Eventually, sleep came and with it came a calm moment as Danielle reformed. Dan shifted in the early morning, his body pressing forward into a warmth. It took a moment for him to remember what happened and realize then what else had happened. He reached up, studying his fingernails before lifting his head from the makeshift pillow.

He faced Kakure's closed eyes, soft even breathing and realized he hadn't been on a pillow but a body. He stood up, eyeing the sleeping girl before seriously studying. The short green hair, strewn and bedridden, the docile look of sleep, and look, a slowly moving chest that..

"Bathroom.." He told himself. He nearly tripped off the bed before he straightened. He was gone for several moments, enough time for her to wake up slowly.

Her fingers brushed the bedsheets, panic began to grow as she remembered that she hadn't been alone. "Dan! Danny boy!"

"Will you stop calling me that!" He stood poised at the open bathroom door, arms crossed. His pants hung loosely at his hips, his hair and upper body still dripping in water.

"It worked!" Kakure beamed before she looked at the clock. "Damn it! I'm going to be late to class!"

Poor Dan was thrown to the side as she entered and closed the door.

"You're welcome..." He rolled his eyes and headed to the kitchen. "Another day alone.." He stilled, hearing a jingle. "Kakure?" He looked around the corner and his face turned white. He turned tail and ran, thoughtlessly entering the bathroom as the girl was quietly singing. She looked out, anger and confusion warring as she hissed.

"What are you doing!?"

"I think your dad's home.." Dan was covering his eyes. "Oh god.. oh god.." He was fighting a losing battle as he peeked.

"Don't look!" She hissed darkly, hurriedly drying and dressing. "Pervert!"

"You kissed me in girl form!"

"What does that have anything to do with anything?"

"I don't know!" Dan was panicking, his breathing quickening. "He's going to kill me!"

"Or me!" Kakure hurriedly ran out, Dan peeking out after her.

"Dad!" Kakure came to a screeching stop, nearly tripping over her feet. Her father had retreated to his bedroom. "Oh, how nice to have you home!"

Onryuku looked surprisingly like his daughter. The same hair and same eyes, but his hair was dull and his eyes often squinted and emotionless. He was a bulky man, his face lines often denoting exhaustion. He stared blankly at his daughter before shrugging. "Don't you have class?"

"Oh, well yes, I do!" She answered, falsely bright.

"Then get going," Onryuku didn't so much as look at her.

"I was worried about you.. Papa.." She reached out hesitantly.

"I told you to get going," He said evenly, staring back at her and glaring at her hand. "Don't make me tell you again."

She looked over and saw a strange look on Dan's face. Unknown to her, it was murderous, son-of-a-bitch look targeted at her father. She helplessly waved her hand to indicate for him to leave and he did so, extremely hesitantly.

He was waiting outside as she came out in her school fuku, her bag grasped in her fingers. "Ready?"

They began to walk in silence. Kakure kept looking over at him, fidgeting, her fingers tightening and lessening on her bag handle.

"Um.. Dan.."

She felt her back hit the wall as he pressed in. "Why didn't you tell me he was a prick!"

"He's my father!" She answered weakly.

"He treats you like trash!"

"He doesn't.. he provides for me and everything.."

"But he doesn't give you love.." Dan looked away. "Stupid prick."

He was surprised to hear a giggle. "You're sweet but now you need a new place to stay."

"Don't worry, I'm sure I can find something.." He pulled away and she moved forward only to feel his breath followed by soft lips.

"Oh..." She studied her feet shyly. "So you really want to stay?"

There was a distant sound of ringing, Kakure's face turning white.

"Oh god, I'm late!"

She tore off with a hurriedly goodbye to Dan. "Meet me after school!" She added as an afterthought. "Remember, after school!"

He waved before looking to the way he came, thinking momentarily on the fact that he was now, once again, homeless.

But then, he wasn't completely alone, now was he? That would be enough for the next few hours. What he should do is look for a job, he mused to himself.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He wasn't able to find a job in that short of time. He got to spend a great deal exploring. Even in this dimension, there was a lot of favorites. He looked up at the large clock as it began to chime the end of the school day.

"I'm sure he won't be here for long," Kakure told him brightly upon finding him. "Dad never stays more than a day!"

Dan shifted, trying to look interested but she was smarter than that. "What's wrong?"

A soft grumbling echoed from Dan's stomach. Her face turned red. "Oh god! Didn't you have breakfast?"

"There wasn't enough time!"

"You don't have money.. no, of course not," She rolled her eyes as he sheepishly shook his head. "Come on! Let's get some early dinner."

The two sat in a tiny restaurant, Kakure watching him with careful eyes. "So what did you do today?"

"Explored. I was thinking about finding a job."

"You know English right?"

He nodded.

"Why not teach students? It'd be helpful and we could always need English teachers!"

He studied his drink. "Well, I suppose so. I'll apply tomorrow at your school."

She laughed softly as she shook her head. "I don't think that'd be a good thing. How would I explain that my boyfriend is my teacher!"

Dan smirked. "That would cause trouble, now wouldn't it.." He paused, momentarily drinking in the idea that he was labeled boyfriend. He found he didn't mind it so much. "Fine then."

"What about elementary?"

"No," Dan was laughing. "All those snot kids. They'd kill me!"

"Well, look around at the other schools and apply. Someone must want to hire you."

"I'll get to work on it," He took a sip. "But where do I stay tonight?"

"Dad gives me as much money as I want," She reached into a pocket. "I have more than enough for you to stay in a hotel for a few days, if you like?"

"I suppose but I got used to sharing a house."

Kakure beamed at him with a slight blush. "Then when he's gone.."

"But you know," Dan butted in gently. "I can' just stay all the time with you. Your dad's going to find out eventually, or catch us, or something."

"By then you'll get your first check and can find an apartment!"

"I don't know.." He was worried but the smile on Kakure's face caused it to flee, if just for the moment. "Let's just enjoy the moment, eh?" He offered his drink. "To you and to us!"

"Hear, hear!"

And the glasses clinked and they returned to a quiet meal, talking amicably to themselves, momentarily, if just for the night, forgetting about all their problems to focus on things that were all right in the world. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven - Part One

Dan spent the night in one of those tube motels he had heard so much about. It wasn▓t nearly as exciting as he had hoped. The next day he met Kakure in front of Juuban High.

⌠Well I▓ll see you after school then.■ Dan waved to Kakure as the two of them headed out of the restaurant. Dan looked down to the street, his hands in his pockets. ⌠Hey a 500 yen piece!■ Dan exclaimed reaching down to the large bronze coin. ⌠Oh Dan! I forgot to give you something!■ Kakure called out, racing back towards Dan with gusto speed.  
⌠Eh?■ Dan tilted his head slightly with a confused expression. Kakure stopped dead in her tracks directly in front of him, and reached into her light green hand bag. ⌠What is it?■ Dan asked scratching the back of his bushy blonde hair.  
⌠The money, silly.■ Kakure replied pulling out a dozen 2,000 yen bills. ⌠That should be just enough for the next few days. Till dad heads off again.■ Kakure smiled as Dan looked down examining the foreign currency with both awe and joy.  
⌠I really don▓t know what to say, Kake┘■ Dan said quite possibly not noticing the nickname he had just given her.  
⌠How bout I love you?■ Kakure asked sheepishly. Dan smirked back.  
⌠Isn▓t that a bit corny?■ Dan asked raising a questionable eyebrow. ⌠Just a little bit over the top?■ ⌠You fell out of the sky┘■ Kakure remarked with a dead pan expression.  
⌠Oh. Well I do suppose THAT does throw all credibility out the windo-⌠ Dan stopped in the middle of his sentence, surprising Kakure by reaching around behind her back, pulling her close and locking lips with her. His eyes completely open of course. After a solid 10 seconds Dan and Kakure broke away from one another. ⌠I love you.■ Dan said with a light smile across his face.  
⌠Ha, ha. Now who▓s the corny one?■ Kakure laughed before turning and running off into the front foyer of the school. Dan watched as she jogged away shaking his head slowly and placing his hands in his pockets. Spinning on his heel Dan turned to face the other side of the street and looked long and hard down the busy Tokyo strip. It was hardly past 7:00am and the sun was just starting to rise covering, the whole area in a bright glow. ⌠Alright┘ time to get a hotel, then to get a jo-⌠ Dan paused mid sentence. ⌠Wait a sec, I ain▓t got a work visa, or a Japanese citizenship, damn I don▓t even got my passport on me! Heck I▓m a bloody illegal immigrant.■ Dan rambled quietly to himself, beginning to release the fatal flaws concerning just about everything. ⌠Far as they know, I don▓t exist in this world! Who knows what they▓ll make of me?■ Dan continued to ask himself questions. ⌠I need to think of something here┘hmmmm, well┘ I could try to find a Canadian embassy and see if they▓res anyway for me to get a passport, I mean backpackers lose them all the time, right?■ Dan asked himself outloud, slowly beginning to draw attention from the crowds of people around him. ⌠Alrighty then, next stop, Canadian Embassy!■ Dan announced outloud pointing his index finger high up into the air. He stayed in this pose for a few seconds before he asked himself. ⌠Wait┘where is it again?■ --------------------------3 hours later-  
⌠Man, I can▓t believe I spent 4,000 yen just to find this place.■ Dan whined as he stepped out of the taxi and looked up in the darkness to the lit front gate of the Canadian Embassy. It was rather large building composed mostly out of concrete and glass. A thick protective wall was erected around the entire complex with small gun emplacements all along. ⌠Wow┘didn▓t know security could be this tight.■ Dan thought outloud, then his eyes fell upon a certain star spangled banner. ⌠Oh┘well now that makes sense.■ Dan laughed to himself. ⌠I guess the cabbie didn▓t know what I meant by Canada.■ Dan mumbled to himself and placed his hands in his pockets. Turning around he continued to walk down the crowded streets. ⌠Heh┘■ Dan smirked looking to his wrist watch. ⌠10 already and no one trying to kill me yet┘.how sweet it is.■ He kept on walking for another five minutes till he realized that he had no idea where the heck he was going. ⌠Maybe it▓s listed in a phone book.■ Dan thought out loud as he ducked into an oddly 3 floored convenience shop. The shop was filled with cheap food, drink and candy which Dan was not quite sure was even candy at all. Dan approached the counter and politely smiled to the cashier. ⌠Hey, could I borrow your phone book?■ Dan asked tapping his fingers along the counter top. The cashier just stared back with a blank stare for a few moments. ⌠Uh, could I please borrow a phone book?■ ⌠You do realize what city you▓re in right?■ The cashier asked furrowing his brow slightly.  
⌠Eh, Tokyo?■ ⌠Do you have any idea how many people live here?■ The cashier continued on.  
⌠Hey, man, what is this some kinda exam? If you want me to buy something┘■ Dan asked looking over to a brighter wrapped package of┘something?  
⌠Here┘■ The cashier rolled his eyes and reaching underneath the counter pulled out 5 sets of 1000 page phone books.  
⌠Whoa, whoa, whoa! Look buddy, I▓m just looking for the Canadian embassy.■ Dan said while pushing the wall of phone books out of the way so he could actually make eye contact. ⌠Oh┘well then your looking for Haruno district.■ The man grumbled pulling out one of the phone books from the middle of the pile, sliding it across to Dan. ⌠Thank you.■ Dan smiled as he took the phone book off the counter and began flipping through it. ⌠Eh┘?■ Dan▓s eyes darted wildly across the thousands of tiny Kanji and numbers. ⌠Oh no┘■ Dan grumbled under his breath. The universal translator in his head apparently worked with spoken word, but so far as texts was concerned┘ ⌠This is going to be a problem┘■ Dan turned back to the counter. ⌠Hey, mister.■ ⌠Uggh┘■ The aggravated cashier walked back over to the cash and looked Dan dead in the eye. ⌠What is it?■ ⌠So, like, you do know where the Canadian embassy is right?■ Dan asked rubbing the tip of his chin.  
⌠Yeaaah┘■ The cashier replied shifting his eyes awkwardly.  
⌠Could you possibly point me in the right direction?■ Dan asked leaning over slightly onto the counter. The cashier just looked back at him with a dopey face, then pointed with his right arm directly at a stair case located in-between the ice cream and cold drinks section. A small plaque was screwed into the wall right next to the stair case:  
TOKYO CANADIAN EMBASSY ⌠Wait, but, what?■ Dan doubled back from the counter and turned around looking to the stair case then back to the cashier.  
⌠Downsizing.■ The cashier shrugged. ⌠I think Sarah is up right now, but she might still be out getting coffee┘■ The cashier explained as he turned around and went back to counting the cigarette packs behind the counter.  
⌠Oh┘well okay then. Thank you?■ Dan thanked although a bit reluctantly, he was still questioning why exactly the man had chosen to even give him the phone books in the first place, but that didn▓t really matter right now. What did matter was securing a work visa or at the very least a passport. As Dan made his way up the stair case he couldn▓t help but notice the strong stench of beer that seemed to frequent the entire stair well. ⌠Cough, cough.■ Dan sneezed a bit as the smell of dope and urine rushed to overtake his nostrils. ⌠Jesus juices┘don▓t they got anyone to clean up this place?■ Dan reached the top of the stairs and slowly opened the door to a large room roughly the same size as the convenience store below save for the lack of dИcor. The room seemed to have gone unchanged or refurnished for at least two or three decades. The wall paper was browned, old and quite frankly out of date posters scantly littered the walls, and a small stand filled with a mish mass of pamphlets stood awkwardly in the foremost corner of the room. The floor was suffocated in dark green shag carpet with dozens of coffee stains littering it along with a helping handful of cigarette butts. In the middle of this squander was a single rather cheap looking desk, covered in, well nothing much save for an enormous PC, a printer and a few photo frames. Sitting on a desk chair in front of the computer was a middle aged women with blonde haired tied back into a bun. She didn▓t seem to even notice Dan come in as her eyes glazed over the computer monitor, her fingers typing away with insectoid like precision and speed. A small name plaque rested on top of the computer monitor reading Sarah White Higurashi. Dan stared at her for a few moments and took a nervous gulp, then continued to stare. ⌠Whoa.■ Dan▓s exclamation caused the middle aged office workers head to perk up briefly, looking over the large bulky monitor she took notice of Dan▓s presence. ⌠Yes? Can I help you?■ Sarah inquired. ⌠Yeah, yes┘sure.■ Dan nodded his head shaking loose the bizarre nature of meeting someone whom had been by all regards dead for at least 10 years. ⌠I was wondering how you deal with lost passports?■ ⌠You lost yours, I take it?■ Sarah guessed reaching underneath her desk for a small fold out chair for Dan to sit on.  
⌠Yeah┘you know how it is, you go backpacking, move around a lot, leave things you shouldn▓t leave em┘.heh, heh, ha?■ Dan nervously laughed as he stepped forward to the desk and took a seat on the light green fold out chair. His eye▓s struggled to keep contact with Sarahs. He just couldn▓t stop glancing down to the photos on her desk. Curiosity was killing him, but the last thing Dan needed to do was start thinking about his old home.  
⌠I see┘■ Sarah replied closing a window down on her PC, she quickly accessed the embassy▓s main databanks. ⌠Well, we can offer you a temporary passport. What is your class?■ Sarah asked with a dull and dry voice. Dan▓s eye▓s drifted down to the much older women▓s chest as his eyes locked onto the silver locket with the stylized F that hung loosely over her breasts. ⌠Sir?■ ⌠Uh┘oh, I▓ve got a green card.■ Dan lied hoping with a fools hope that she would simply take his word for it.  
⌠Right┘so your name, phone number, social insurance number?■ Sarah ordered hovering her hands above the keyboard.  
⌠Oh well┘my name is Dan Lakai Daroshay┘■ Dan began, questioning if he should just hop to his feet and run. He didn▓t have any other information to give her! Sarah typed in his name.  
⌠And uh, I▓m still looking for a home here, and I well, you know┘can▓t just remember my number off the top of my head you know?■ Dan replied trying to sound as confident as physically possible. ⌠Right┘■ Sarah typed in Dan▓s name and pressed enter. Only one name popped up and it featured a photo along with a lengthy list of details. ⌠Oh, my.■ Sarah paused looking to the photo then back to Dan, then back to the photo once more. ⌠Well you certainly have a green card, sir.■ ⌠I do?■ Dan asked in surprise. ⌠I mean, well yeah┘too bad my memory isn▓t too great eh?■ ⌠Well be happy our identification policies aren▓t too stringent.■ Sarah replied as she printed out a 14 page set of documents that essentially made up Dan▓s passport and identification papers. ⌠Here you are.■ Sarah handed the set of papers over to Dan then looked back down to the monitor. Still Dan remained seated.  
⌠So┘how▓s Freta?■ Dan asked nervously tilting his head slightly. Sarah stopped typing immediately and froze for a bit.  
⌠Good bye sir.■ Sarah glared.  
⌠Right┘■ Dan could take a hint, he got up and headed for the door closing it on the way out.  
⌠Sigh┘■ Sarah stared down to the picture of a ten year old girl, a tiny tear slowing streaking down her cheek.  
-----Outside the convenience-store/Embassy -  
Dan squatted down on the curb outside of the convenience-store/embassy. A light orange popsicle hanging out of the side of his mouth as he scanned over the papers. ⌠Now that▓s convenient.■ Dan said outloud as read the papers that were surprisingly extensive information wise. ⌠So I▓m 23 aye?■ Dan said with a slight smirk as he continued to read on. ⌠Bachelor of Arts, certificate of graphic design? Damn they must of got me mixed up with someone else. ⌠When does my green card expire anyway? ┘ Ten years!?! Oh man I▓ am set!■ Dan laughed out loud not even bothering to think of why and how all of this had even come to pass. Dan hopped up onto his feet and beamed. ⌠Now all I got to do is find a job.■ Dan smirked throwing back his shaggy blonde hair. He began to march forward down the ever bustling city streets. ---later-  
⌠English teacher? We already got four of those!■ ⌠So wait┘you DON▓T have any magical and or supernatural abilities? ┘ Get out! Freaken Muggles┘■ ⌠Get off of our property!■ ⌠Tuna?■ ⌠So your like┘a teacher?■ ⌠Um, we usually don▓t just hire people who just walk in the door looking for a job.■ ⌠What does Tuna got to do with it?■ ⌠We were actually looking for someone with┘.a weaker grasp of the local language.■ ⌠I▓am Great Teacher Onizumi┘ get out of my classroom!■ ⌠Yeah┘Tuna casserole┘tuna salad┘all pretty good.■ ⌠Oh my god Ashton Kutcher!■ ⌠I▓m sorry but all positions are filled as of now.■ ⌠We▓re not looking.■ ⌠Mr. Moto please guide our visitor to the door.■ ⌠So you fish for Tuna then?■ ⌠This is an all girls school┘yes I do believe we can▓t hire you┘abilities┘you can turn into a what?┘SECURITY!!!■ ⌠Wait┘if you▓re a teacher why even mention the Tuna?■ ---4 hours and a dozen schools later-  
⌠Uggh┘this isn▓t right┘in the anime▓s people just walk on into the schools and get jobs┘how could TV lie to me?■ Dan sobbed as he trudged his way down the street in a much more somber mood then ever before. ⌠Maaan┘come on where▓s my ecchi all girl style schools?■ Dan groaned as he leaned against a telephone pole. ⌠Where is the answer!■ Dan called out at the top of his lungs. ⌠Ugghh┘■ Dan looked to his wrist watch. ⌠2:15┘I▓ve got to get over to Juuban┘■ Dan muttered as he slowly pushed his weight off of the telephone pole and began to lumber down the street once more. ⌠Oh no┘ what will Kakure say.■ Dan thought to himself beginning to think of the possible outcomes┘. ⌠You don▓t need a job Danny, I▓ll take care of you with my daddy▓s money!■ ▒Heh, heh┘ nah that ain▓t gonna happen.▓ Dan thought to himself. ⌠How could I ever love a worthless parasite like you! NO JOB! NO LOVE!!!■ ▒nah┘ she couldn▓t ever be that ruthless┘ ⌠Dan, I▓m worried, but don▓t worry I▓m sure you▓ll have better luck tomorrow!■ ┘ ▒yeah that▓s probably it┘ but I can▓t keep draining Kakure like this, I▓m a leech! I mean how am I ever going to buy her nice stuff, or take her places┘.then again I suppose that kind of stuff doesn▓t really matter, but I don▓t know.▓ Dan continued to conflict with himself as he headed down south towards Juuban high, until he noticed something. Everywhere around him were students in uniform. ⌠What the┘ I don▓t remember they▓re being a school around here before.■ Dan pondered scratching the back of his head. ⌠Hey!■ Dan shouted out as he rushed up to a small group of black uniformed school boys who appeared to be in their mid teens. One was especially tall and slim and had his orange hair gelled so that it stuck straight up around the front. A much shorter and rounder one stood next to his side with jet black hair trimmed into a bowl cut. The final member of the trio had brown hair swaying slightly to the left and a cool expression on his face. All of them looked to Dan with confused/worried expressions. The tallest one stepped out from the group slightly towards Dan.  
⌠Yes? Can I help you?■ The boy asked in shaky English.  
⌠Yeah! This is going to sound weird, but what school do you guys go too?■ Dan asked shrugging a bit and placing his hands into his pockets.  
⌠Ashikoto high┘ why?■ Asked the smaller rounder member of the gang.  
⌠Oh well, I▓m an English teacher.■ Dan quasi lied between his teeth. He moved in closer towards the trio. ⌠And I think I▓ve been transferred to your school. Could you lead me there?■ ⌠Uh┘don▓t you think we have better things to do?■ The wavy brown haired youth asked with a sarcastic gleam, but his other two friends disagreed with him.  
⌠Oh shut up Hatso.■ The short fat one said glaring at Hatso from behind his large round spectacles. ⌠We▓d be more then happy to assist a new faculty member of our community.■ ⌠Yosho, your such a little suck up.■ The orange spikey haired teen laughed stretching his arms out behind his back. ⌠But yeah sure┘ we▓ll show you around.■ He reached out with a long slender arm towards Dan offering him a handshake. ⌠Eizho Torogumi.■ ⌠Oh wow, so your names all rhyme, that▓s kinda cute.■ Dan chuckled shaking hangs with Eizho. Hatso glared at him slightly with a quite unamused expression. ⌠So uh┘lead on.■ Dan clapped his hands together, bowing slightly.  
The small group turned the street at the next set of lights and headed west for a few hundred feet until coming upon a large school complex. It▓s giant tower clock reading 2:34. Dan gulped slightly knowing he▓d be late, but then shook his head to remove the thought from his mind. The group made their way up through the still heavily crowded front yard, groups of girls turning to steal a glance at Dan. ⌠Eh?■ Dan stared back with a confused expression as he noticed the dozens of stares. Eventually the group made their way in through the glass doors at the front of the school and made their way into the office. A small blue haired secretary sat in the front of the office her face hanging down towards the papers on the desk in front of her. She had a pair of coke bottle spectacles resting on her nose and her face was small and shriveled much like a raisin.  
⌠Hey Miss. Kunomi.■ Eizho said leaning down over the desk so that he hovered slightly over the frog eyed women.  
■Ah!■ The women hoped slightly out of her seat startled. ⌠Oh Mr. Torogumi┘ who is this with you?■ Kunomi asked looking up from her seat to Dan.  
⌠New English teacher.■ Yosho replied smiling lightly.  
⌠A New English teacher you say?■ Kunomi said in her slightly whiney voice. ⌠I didn▓t know we were expecting one.■ Hatso shot Yosho a ⌠I told you so look■ smiling slyly.  
⌠I▓ll page Mr. Maiju.■ Kunomi nodded her slightly over sized head as she reached for the phone with her stubby little hands and tapped a few buttons. ⌠Paging Headmaster Maiju┘headmaster Maiju. ⌠He should be down in a few minutes.■ ⌠Great.■ Dan exclaimed turning to the trio. ⌠Thanks for the help guys, I▓ll be seeing you around.■ ⌠Whatever┘■ Hatso snarled turning around to head out followed shortly behind by Yosho and Eizho. ⌠Good luck sensei.■ Yosho said turning around and closing the door behind himself.  
⌠Nice kids.■ Dan shrugged turning back to Miss Kunomi. Kunomi stared back and Dan with a blank expression. ⌠What?■ ⌠You have no idea.■ Kunomi shook her head and immediately drooped her face back down over the paper work that still lay in front of her.  
⌠Uh┘okay?■ Dan said with a slightly confused tone to his voice. Dan stood in the all but completely empty office for a few awkward minutes until finally a skinny man wearing a pair of thick spectacles and a tired old brown suit walked into the office. ⌠Yes Mrs. Kunomi?■ Maiju asked ignoring Dan completely as he entered the room.  
⌠This young man wishes to speak with you, he say▓s he is our new English teacher.■ Kunomi explained pointing to Dan but not actually looking up from her paper work as she did so.  
⌠NEW English teacher?■ Maiju asked looking Dan over skeptically. ⌠Come into my office.■ Maiju motioned for Dan to follow as he walked behind the desk and into a narrow hallway that passed a series of doors until finally coming upon one labeled Headmaster. Dan followed the older man into the office and took a seat in front of the desk. The office had a very old feel to it as, much like the Canadian embassy, but not quite as old and decrepit. ⌠So. I trust you▓ve brought the proper paper work?■ Maiju asked while looking down to the desk as he picked up a pen continuing to ignore Dan.  
⌠Why, yes, yes I did.■ Dan replied reaching into his pocket for the folded up documents. Dan smiled nervously to the headmaster as he pulled them out and slid them across the table to the rather bored looking man.  
⌠Hmmm┘23? You certainly don▓t look it.■ Maiju grumbled as he continued to scan the paper. A bachelor of arts┘.with honors. Certificate of graphic design┘10 year work visa┘well that certainly qualifies you.■ ⌠Well yeah, sure.■ Dan nervously replied.  
⌠But tell me, why do you want to work for us, and what do you think you can bring to Ashikoto?■ Maiju asked humoring Dan.  
⌠Well, I can bring the, erm, English language and how to speak it? I▓am also really strong with the Japanese language, as I▓m sure you can like, tell?■ Dan nervously replied twiddling his fingers.  
⌠Really┘ and what sort of salary are you expecting?■ Maiju asked furthering the interview along.  
⌠Uh, enough to rent an apartment?■ Dan replied shrugging a bit.  
⌠I see┘well Mr.┘. ┘. Daroshay. I hate to be the harbinger of bad news but we have NO openings here at Ashikoto, perhaps you have mixed us up with Mashikoto?■ Mr. Maiju suggested shuffling Dan▓s papers back together before handing them back over across the table.  
⌠But, uh, but≈⌠Dan stuttered only to be interrupted by a very angry British women with ravaging red frizzy hair.  
⌠Mr. Maiju, I look all everywhere for you!■ She cried out in broken Japanese. ⌠Oh Mrs. Albertson┘our beloved English teacher.■ Maiju rolled his eyes slightly.  
⌠We talk about I raise! You put off long too!■ Mrs. Albertson continued to rant mixing up the proper pronunciations and order of speech. Dan watched on in confusion as the two began to argue.  
⌠Mrs. Albertson you know just as well as me that this academy is completely devoid of extra funding, we can not be just giving our faculty members raises in a time like this!■ ⌠Cut the sports budget then! I won▓t work with those hooligans for measly 5,000 yen an hour!■ Mrs. Albertson continued to cry out shaking her finger towards the rather old and boring man.  
⌠We don▓t even have a sports budget anymore!■ Maiju retorted.  
⌠Headmaster, I lay my foot down here, either increase my wages or walk out I!■ Mrs. Albertson scoffed crossing her arms. Maiju looked to her for a few moments then over to Dan who still had a blank look on his face from the entire discussion. Maiju then looked back over to the ill-tempered Albertson.  
⌠It has been a pleasure working with your Mrs. Albertson.■ Maiju smiled offering Mrs. Albertson a hand to shake.  
⌠WHAT!?!■ Albertson shouted in English.  
⌠You, are, fired.■ Mr. Maiju replied in solid English waving for Mrs. Albertson to leave. Albertson looked at Maiju for a few moments with hate in her eyes before turning and stomping off down the hall. ⌠Sigh.■ Maiju let out a soft relaxed sigh and sunk slightly deeper in his chair before turning back around to face Dan. ⌠Welcome to Ashikoto High.■ ⌠You mean I got the job?■ Dan asked with a very confused look across his face. Maiju nodded his head rapidly. ⌠Well hot damn!■ Dan flung out his hand and shook it rapidly with the startled headmaster. ⌠Awesome!■ ⌠There are a few papers you will need to fill out.■ Maiju said pulling out a large brown envelope filled with a hand book, several certificates and a contract. ⌠But if you can make it, we will need an English teacher for tomorrow.■ As Maiju said this Dan opened up the envelope and began to examine the interior of it, inside was a rather large class photo which he pulled out. ⌠Hey I know these three!■ Dan exclaimed pointing to Yosho, Hatso and Eizho who were all grouped together towards the front of the photograph.  
⌠Oh┘my apologies.■ Maiju apologized nodding his head slightly shamefully. ⌠Most of your class will be like that.■ ⌠Like what?■ Dan asked tilting his head curiously.  
⌠Oh┘oh nothing.■ Maiju replied.  
⌠Wait┘I▓ve seen this anime┘I▓ve got the worse class in the school don▓t I!■ Dan exclaimed referring to a certain anime series starring a certain Great Teacher.  
⌠Now, now, now┘ you did just sign the contract.■ Maiju said tapping his finger along the bottom of the contract where indeed Dan▓s signature had already been struck.  
⌠I didn▓t do that! You did, your still holding the pen!■ ⌠That changes nothing┘Here┘■ Maiju reached under the counter and pulled out a small envelope. ⌠Your first pay check in advance┘does that change your mind?■ Maiju offered the envelope and Dan eyed it hungrily. Dan snatched it out of the old headmasters hands and ripped it open to reveal roughly 400,000 yen. ⌠Minus the taxes┘■ The head master reached down and pulled out half of the cash but still Dan couldn▓t wipe the smile off his face. ⌠Sure that▓s cool┘I wasn▓t going to say no anyway.■ Dan shrugged.  
⌠Oh well in that case.■ Maiju reached across the table and took the money out of Dan▓s hands. ⌠The prop cash seals the deal once again.■ Maiju smirked as he let the money brustle in his hand.  
⌠Hey I need that cash┘to rent an apartment.■ Dan cried out.  
⌠Rent an apartment? Mr. Daroshay, we offer all teachers residence on campus. Sure almost no one ever accepts the offer, but┘.■ Maiju began to whisper what he was saying towards the end. ⌠Oh really?■ Dan asked rubbing his chin. ⌠When do I get money then?■ Dan asked scratching the back of his head.  
⌠End of this week, I▓ll make sure you get something but after that it▓s every other week.■ Maiju explained non-chalantly as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. ⌠Follow me.■ Dan got out of his chair and began to follow the headmaster down through the hall way once more, out of the office and out into the main body of the school building. ⌠It is not exactly the most furnished room of our facility.■ Maiju began to say as the pair continued to tread down the hallway past dozens of class room doors till finally they came to a stair case. The pair headed down it and turned around and under the bottom of the stairs. Beneath the stair case was a single heavy metal door marked with spray paint, torn up stickers and a dead lock. Maiju retrieved a large iron key from his pocket and unlocked the door.  
⌠Uh┘■ Dan slowly glanced around at his new pad. It was T shaped in design roughly 20 feet across at the widest point but only 6 feet across for the most part coming in. A small closet was embedded along the entrance along with a door that led into a very small bathroom. At the back of the room against the wall was a fold out couch with a large futon lying before it on top of a large round rug. On the left side of the T was a mini kitchenette, of course I use the term lightly as it consisted of a rickety counter, one small sink, a mini fridge, one cupboard, a kettle, and a garbage. To the right of the T was a small 10 inch television with a few wires hanging out of it leading down to what appeared to be a DVD player. The TV was flanked with a rickety desk and a small book shelf with horrifically out of date reading material lining it. ⌠This is awesome!■ Dan cried out spinning in mid air and grabbing Maiju▓s wrinkly hand and shaking it vigorously.  
⌠What?■ Maiju stared back at Dan with a confused look. ⌠Really?  
⌠No not at all!■ Dan replied with a sneer. ⌠But this is free right?■ ⌠Well┘besides electricity and hot water┘yes.■ Maiju smiled speaking incredibly fast towards the end.  
⌠Wait┘you guys are going to charge me for using power and hot water?■ Dan asked tilting his head with a confused expression. ⌠Are you serious?■ ⌠You must understand, Ashikoto is in a very taxing time right now Mr. Daroshay.■ Maiju said in a very weak voice intended to drive some pity into Dan▓s heart. It apparently worked somewhat as Dan decided to drop the entire topic.  
⌠Well I guess I▓ll just try and ration it aye?■ Dan tried to laugh. Maiju kinda gleamed at him.  
⌠Please, study your course work, class begins at 8:30 am tomorrow.■ Maiju said with a strict tone as he turned and headed out the door. ⌠Though your class probably won▓t even show till 9┘■ Maiju chuckled lightly as he closed the heavy iron door behind himself leaving Dan to his thoughts. ⌠Hmmm┘■ Dan paced around the tiny room examining the dark red walls. ⌠So┘ I▓m a teacher now aye? Wow, my first real job┘ever.■ Dan smirked to himself. ⌠And I never even graduated high school!■ Dan laughed to himself before collapsing onto the squishy couch behind him, grabbing the folder full of course work as he fell back. ⌠Hmmm┘ nouns aye?■ Dan thought to himself as he stroked his chin and fiddled with his blonde locks.

----1 hour later-  
⌠Wow┘■ Dan said outloud. ⌠I can▓t believe how easy this is.■ He laughed having reviewed the entire 3 months worth of work he had been given. ⌠And without any living costs 5000 yen an hour is going to go a long way┘heck I bet I could really spiffy this place up...get a pinball machine over their┘a flat-holo-cron TV up on the ceiling. Heck I could put a down payment on a new Accord. Just think the look Kakure will give me when I come to pick her up after┘school┘ooooooooh crap!!!■ Dan bounced off the couch and rushed to the door looking to his watch along the way. ⌠5pm!!!■ Oh man, oh man I▓m like 2 hours late already!■ Dan cried out as he grabbed the spare key left behind by Haiju and rushed at full speed out of the school and into the streets. ⌠Juuban has to be least a mile away!■ Dan muttered to himself as he ran on pure adrenalin He managed to get two city blocks before he ran completely out of steam. ⌠One┘more┘block┘to┘ahhh man┘this was so much easier with powers┘■ Dan sighed as slowly walked forward hunched over quite a bit. ⌠Then again, I didn▓t have anyone to run too before!■ The thought of Kakure jolted Dan▓s mind back into action and with a final spurt of energy he lunged into an all out sprint down the street. A minute later Dan had made it to the intersection facing Juuban high. Dozens of cars whizzed by offering no clear line of site of the main entrance way. ⌠Ahhh man.■ Dan moaned leaning up on his toes as he struggled to see if Kakure was still waiting for him a full 2 hours later. ⌠Come on┘■ Dan stammered bouncing a bit on the tips of his feet. ⌠Wait a sec┘who am I kidding.■ Dan began to grumble to himself. ⌠Two hours? If getting tired of waiting didn▓t do it, that ass of a father would.■ Dan scoffed with a sad tone to his voice. ⌠But then again┘■ Dan said as the traffic cleared. He broke into a run and sprinted across the street and into the gates of the school. ⌠Kakure!?!■ Dan shouted out looking left and right wildly, but the whole place looked to be deserted. ⌠What are you doing here?■ Eizou asked from behind Dan who slowly turned around to face her.  
⌠Hey, I know you?■ Dan said while looking to Eizou, Kaki stood directly next to her, the two of them wearing matching Juuban high uniforms. Eizou seemed to have the same look in her eyes as she had on Friday and Kaki looked a bit concerned standing quite close to Eizou.  
⌠What do you want Kakure for?■ Kaki enquired frowning slightly and crossing her arms.  
⌠Well I was sort of supposed to meet her here, ya know after school.■ Dan explained stepping a bit closer towards the group so that he was in the same area as them. ⌠Do I know you two?■ Dan asked having never actually met Eizou before and Kaki only briefly seeing how he had run away quite promptly the day of the picnic. Eizou and Kaki both rolled their eyes.  
⌠Why would Kakure want to meet with a boy like you?■ Kaki asked looking up and down Dan▓s rather scraggily looking visage. ⌠Oh wait, are you friends of hers?■ Dan asked still not catching up to the whole situation.  
⌠Uh┘yeah.■ Eizou answered. ⌠We▓re very good friends.■ ⌠And she hasn▓t mentioned me yet?■ Dan asked feeling a bit odd and out of place at the same time.  
⌠I don▓t think so. Kakure▓s been quite quiet the last few days. Hasn▓t she.■ Kaki answered looking to Eizou as if asking her if she was wrong. Eizou gave no reaction. ⌠You still haven▓t told us who you are yet.■ ⌠Oh, well I guess I▓m sort of Kakure▓s boyfriend.■ Dan shrugged still feeling awkward about the whole label thing. ⌠┘■ At this Eizou▓s face froze while Kaki▓s jaw dropped. They both stared at Dan for a while with shocked/blank expressions.  
⌠Boy, ba, Boy friend?■ Kaki said with an utterly thrown off tone of voice. ⌠Is that a problem?■ Dan asked while feeling awkward over the girls reaction.  
⌠Not, unless your fathers is some sort of dark entity.■ Kaki said trying to make a light hearted joke, Eizou just glared back at her. ⌠Eh heh, heh.■ ⌠Dark entity?■ Dan asked with a look of utter confusion. ⌠Wait a sec┘very good friends? Your those shadows she was talking about aren▓t you?■ Dan guessed honestly not knowing the answer and hoping he wouldn▓t look crazy for saying it.  
⌠Whoa. She told you!?!■ Kaki exclaimed. ⌠Wait are we keeping this a secret?■ Kaki asked looking to Eizou.  
⌠I▓m not quite sure yet, I think Usagi and her team have kept themselves under wraps. Anyway, Kakure must trust you a lot to tell you something like that.■ ⌠Well we are sort of an item now.■ Dan laughed brushing the back of his head.  
⌠Wow, I still can▓t believe Kakure▓s been going steady with some guy from the USA all of this time and never even told me!■ Kaki sighed twiddling her fingers.  
⌠Oh well we just met last Friday you know.■ Dan said rubbing his chin and shaking his right index finger. Kaki exchanged a concerned look to Eizou. ⌠What?■ ⌠You mean, she▓s only known you for six days?■ Eizou asked tilting her head to the side.  
⌠Wow, is that all it▓s been?■ Dan asked scratching his nose. ⌠Sure, felt longer.■ ⌠And the two of you are already dating, and she▓s already told you about us?■ Kaki asked quickly losing trust and confidence in Dan.  
⌠Hey, I▓m a good guy! Heck I▓m a super good guy back where I▓m from!■ Dan trumped up. ⌠America?■ ⌠Canada┘sheesh do I need to wear my passport on my sleeve here?■ Dan asked raising his hands in the air almost aggressively. ⌠Well, how long are you staying in Japan anyway?■ Eizou asked figuring Dan to be a tourist.  
⌠Yeah!■ Kaki said raising her voice. ⌠You▓re an exchange student or something right?■ ⌠Actually. I▓m sort of living here.■ Dan remarked. ⌠Well for ten years atleast.■ Dan shrugged deciding it would be better to worry about renewing his green card in about seven or eight years. ⌠I▓m sort of an English teacher at Ashikoto.■ ⌠A teacher!?!■ Kaki exclaimed. ⌠But, how I mean┘how old are you anyway?■ Kaki asked with slightly bugged out eyes. Eizou carried the exact same expression as the two of them stared at Dan.  
⌠Oh well┘23. I graduated last year and uh, thought I▓d try being an ESL teacher over seas first. Thought it▓d be good practice before, you know, working for a school board.■ Dan lied through his teeth.  
⌠For TEN years?■ Kaki asked finding the story slightly hard to believe.  
⌠Twenty three?■ Eizou asked with a dumbfounded look. Was this guy seriously seven, six year older then the two of them? ⌠Well┘ a lot of good practice.■ Dan smiled ignoring Eizou▓s rather silent question. ⌠Besides you know, I like it here. I might just stay.■ ⌠Stay?■ Eizou asked. ⌠Where ARE you staying?■ ⌠With Kakure.■ Dan said off handedly not really thinking. ⌠Err, I mean, I WAS living with Kakure.■ Dan corrected himself noticing the shock in Kaki and Eizou▓s eyes. ⌠But now I▓m not, I▓ve got my own place at Ashikoto.■ ⌠Isn▓t that illegal?■ Kaki asked. ⌠I mean your dating a minor right?■ ⌠Hey, I think so long as we don▓t do anything, ya, ya know┘ serious.■ Dan said awkwardly. ⌠Erm, though I think we came pretty close to it just the other last night.■ Dan said outloud, which he probably shouldn▓t have.  
⌠WHAT!?!■ Kaki screamed.  
⌠What, we only shared the same bed┘nothing else┘though she did sort of jump me. Hey if you▓re both girls and neither of you are gay┘then again do I count as gay if I▓m a girl and still like girls┘eeeh┘I guess not, but yeah if a girl jumps another, that doesn▓t really count right?■ Dan rambled on much to the confusion and further terror of Kakure▓s friends. ⌠Oh┘I shouldn▓t of said any of that should of I.■ ⌠I don▓t know┘I couldn▓t really follow it anyway.■ Eizou shrugged. ⌠So what are you going to do now hot shot?■ ⌠Well I COULD go see Kakure┘apologize for being late┘but then again her psycho dad is probably still home huh?■ Dan asked.  
⌠Kakure▓s dad is a psycho?■ Kaki asked looking to Eizou. ⌠She never told me anything about her father.  
⌠Me neither┘ so I take it, he hasn▓t taken to you very well?■ Eizou said looking to Dan.  
⌠Actually, we haven▓t even met yet┘well face to face.■ Dan shrugged. ⌠I saw him yesterday though, pretty agitative guy┘ if only I had her number I could call her up and apologize or organize to meet with her in person or something┘ I suppose I▓d better just head back to my place and plan something.■ Dan said aloud pondering out loud. Suddenly a light bulb flashed in Kaki head.  
⌠Well┘ you know┘■ Mars began shrewdly raising her eyebrows and narrowing her eyes like a fox. ⌠I COULD give you her number┘■ ⌠Really!?! Well that would be great!■ Dan exclaimed clapping his hands together.  
⌠BUT┘I still don▓t know if I┘we, can trust you.■ Kaki continued on exchanging glances with Eizou. ⌠Though if you were to say, talk to us more, over some icecream┘maybe┘trust could be earned.■ ⌠Uh┘okay.■ Dan agreed, figuring with the money Kakure had given him he ought to spend it on something significant. Plus it couldn▓t hurt to get to know Kakure▓s closest friends and allies a bit better. ⌠Great!■ Kaki laughed. ⌠I▓ll just call up, Pomona and Kaiki then!■ Kaki said as he pulled out her cell phone and began dialing up much of the rest of the Shadow Senshi. ⌠Wait, whoa! Theirs more of you? I▓m paying for like four people now? What kind of a name is Pomona? Sounds like the name of a herb or a salad dressing.■ Dan asked wildly while Kaki completely ignored him.  
⌠Hi! Pom Pom! Guess who? ┘ Yep! Remember that ice cream thing I told you about? How▓d you like a big bowl of it?■ ⌠Ice cream?■ Dan asked with a frail sound to his voice. ⌠What IS your name anyway?■ Eizou asked the fact just dawning on her that she had yet to even learn Dan▓s name.  
⌠Dan┘Dan Lakai Daroshay.■ Dan said his eyes shifting back and forth between Eizou who was standing right in front of him, to Kaki as she continued to rally more people together.  
⌠Don▓t worry, we won▓t buy anything TOO expensive.■ Eizou said encouragingly noting Dan▓s nervousness as he watched Kaki.  
⌠Oh, well anything for Kakure▓s friends!■ Dan said biting his teeth together and stretching his face into a forced smile. -----an hour or so later-  
With more then half of the Shadow Senshi crowding around him Dan continued to follow Kaki down the busy streets of Tokyo.  
⌠So we meet again!■ Pomona cried out smacking a hand against Dan▓s back and laughing to herself.  
⌠Er yeah┘ I know most of you say you know me┘but er┘yeah.■ Dan awkwardly replied not wanting to out and out say he didn▓t recognize a single one of them, but in all honesty none of them really stood out in his mind.  
⌠Well, I▓m Kaiki.■ Kaiki said introducing herself. ⌠And I▓m Pomona, or you can just call me Pom Pom!■ Pomona said bouncing a bit in place. ⌠And your Kakure▓s new boyfriend?■ ⌠First boyfriend.■ Kaiki butted in answering before Dan could even open his mouth.  
⌠Uh yeah. ■ Dan shrugged. ⌠So your all like Shadow Senshi then?■ Dan asked as the small group entered an ice cream parlor.  
⌠Yeppers.■ Pomona answered. ⌠So┘ eh heh heh┘why are your eyes so big?■ Pomona asked questioning Dan▓s oddly large anime eyes that seemed more fitting a girl then a man. (Atleast in this dimension) ⌠Yeah, about that. I▓m from this other country-⌠ ⌠No I mean why are your eyes so girly?■ Pomona repeated herself. ⌠I know what American▓s look like, but even they usually have smaller eyes then girls.■ ⌠Canadian┘wait are you saying I look like a girl?■ Dan asked tilting his head and sneering slightly.  
⌠Well your eyes.■ Kaki said as the group got in the long line up leading to the cash.  
⌠Argh┘ look in my dimension plenty of people have big eyes.■ Dan explained.  
⌠Your dimension?■ Eizou asked furrowing her brow. ⌠Your from the void?■ ⌠No, no, no. I▓m from another world┘you know like this one just┘different.■ Dan explained slowly realizing just how crazy that sounded.  
⌠So┘he▓s a crazy boyfriend then?■ Pomona whispered rather loudly in Kaiki ear.  
⌠I totally heard that! Look can we talk about something else?■ Dan asked with a defeated expression.  
⌠Okay.■ Kaiki began to say. ⌠What do you do for a living?■ ⌠Man, I▓ve so been through this already. I teach English, and before you say anything else. I▓m 23, I▓m actually from Canada, I learned Japanese through University, I▓am not crazy, I teach at Ashikoto High, Kakure▓s father scares the crap out of me, I intend to live here for the next five years at least.■ Dan rallied through every single boring question they could possibly ask at lightning speed. ⌠Any more questions?■ ⌠What, like, to, order?■ The cashier asked in very broken English. Dan hunched a bit and turned to her very slowly.  
⌠I KNOW JAPANESE!■ Dan cried out at the top of his lungs. ⌠┘■ Everyone just paused and cast frightened glances towards Dan.  
⌠Erm┘butter scotch┘ anything with butter scotch.■ Dan sighed bowing his head slightly in shame. ⌠It▓s okay Danny. I▓m sure after a bit everyone will recognize you as just that weird American guy who speaks incredibly perfect Japanese.■ Pomona laughed patting Dan on the shoulder. Dan just groaned a bit, grabbed the sundae threw down a few thousand yen and headed off to a large table, the four other girls following him. ⌠You really think so?■ Dan asked while taking a seat.  
⌠Nope! Your way too weird.■ Pomona chuckled beeping Dan on the nose. ⌠You▓ve got a really big nose and eyes too.■ Everyone at the table glared at Pomona nervously. ⌠She▓s not from around here Kaiki nervously smiled as she kicked Pomona underneath the table.  
⌠Didn▓t we already go over this?■ Dan asked stabbing his plastic spoon deep into the soft serve ice cream.  
⌠We▓re sorry.■ Kaiki began to say. ⌠You see Pomona is not from around┘here.■ ⌠Okinawa?■ Dan asked making an obscure reference to Japanese culture.  
⌠Uh, well┘how much did Kakure tell you about us?■ Kaiki asked as she pulled out a wafer from her desert and began to chew on it.  
⌠Uh┘not a lot really.■ Dan shrugged. ⌠I just know your like the back up Sailor Scouts.■ ⌠What!■ Eizou exclaimed dropping her spoon right out of her hand. ⌠We are our own team, they just, they just have a similar name┘and powers┘and planets┘moons┘stuff┘■ Eizou began to slouch in her seat.  
⌠Our transformations are way cooler.■ Kaki suggested twiddling a strawberry in mid air.  
⌠Yeah┘ they really are aren▓t they.■ Kaiki agreed.  
⌠Anyway┘■ Dan rolled his eyes.  
⌠So┘what▓s it like being Gaijin?■ Kaki asked leaning forward slightly towards Dan. ⌠I mean, what do you think of Japan?■ ⌠Well besides the cartoons, giant rampaging monsters and super powered teenage girls┘ kinda boring.■ Dan shrugged. ⌠I mean its just so grey, with all the bland concrete buildings and all. Though some of the food isn▓t too bad, like this ice cream┘now this here is some good soft serve┘mmm┘is that real cream┘I bet it is.■ Dan rambled on.  
⌠If it▓s so boring why▓d you come here?■ Eizou asked with a frown.  
⌠He didn▓t choose to come here!■ Pomona cried out.  
⌠Yeah that▓s right, you like fell through a rift in space an▓ time or something.■ Kaki nodded in agreement reflecting on the events that only her and Pomona had gotten a good view of. ⌠What, are you still going on about that?■ Eizou asked. ⌠It really happened!■ Pomona whined.  
⌠Look, are you trying to tell me that in a park full of people only you two saw this guy fall through a rift in space and time?■ Eizou asked.  
⌠Actually┘well┘■ Dan began to mutter. ⌠Changing subjects.■ ⌠Yeah! So like┘ do all Americans really own guns?■ Kaiki asked.  
⌠First of all I▓m Canadian, secondly┘uh yeah pretty much.■ Dan replied.  
⌠So what▓s the difference between Canada and the USA anyway?■ Kaki asked.  
⌠Well┘theirs 1 of us for every 10 of them┘we make way better bacon and beer, it▓s always really cold and we tend to not be nearly as aggressive but many times more cowardly.■ Dan shrugged.  
⌠So, have you ever thought of getting a haircut?■ Kaki asked apparently having ignored Dan▓s entire short speech about his home country. Dan brushed his hand through his bushy blonde hair.  
⌠Nah┘I cut my own hair when it gets too long┘barbers scare the crap out of me┘them and nuns.■ ⌠Well you should defiantly get it cut if you want to be a respected teacher.■ Kaki suggested. ⌠Right now you look more like the lead guitarist in some grunge metal band.■ ⌠Or an anorexic Ashton Kutcher.■ Eizou laughed ⌠Hey┘■ Dan paused for a bit. ⌠Okay you▓ve got me their┘wait how do you even know who Ashton Kutcher is?■ ⌠We know all about the big celebrities in the West.■ Kaki scoffed.  
⌠Really? Well you know, I did meet Adam Sandler once.■ Dan smiled in an effort to look cool. ⌠I mean sure he had his security drag me away but still┘good times.■ ⌠So remind me why Kakure is dating you again?■ Eizou asked. ⌠And why we should trust you?■ ⌠Uh┘because┘well┘look it▓s like this.■ Dan began. ⌠I▓ve known a lot of girls. Heck I even dated the daughter of god for awhile back in high school. But not a single one of them has understood me, heck, needed me like Kakure┘ and it▓s the same for me┘ You know, she just┘ well she▓s just, beautiful. In so many ways.■ ⌠And jail bait.■ Eizou coughed ruining the lovey dovey atmosphere.  
⌠Not if the two of you have parental consent!■ Kaiki piped up. ⌠You can get away with all sorts of stuff if your parents say it▓s okay. Like how I emancipated myself.■ ⌠Eh?■ Dan raised a confused eyebrow. ⌠Look, Kakure▓s like what? 16, 17? I can wait a year or two. Not like I▓m going anywhere.■ Dan shrugged scraping his spoon along the sides of his sundae to collect ever more butterscotch topping. ⌠Besides theirs more to a relationship then just that┘I think?■ Dan paused for a bit. ⌠Is their?■ ⌠Sometimes.■ Kaiki giggled.  
⌠Probably should meet her dad though.■ Dan added.  
⌠You haven▓t met him yet?■ Kaki asked wide eyed.  
⌠Well, no, didn▓t I already say that?■ ⌠You told us, he scared you. I presumed you had already confronted him.■ Kaki replied.  
⌠Well he▓s just really mean you know.■ Dan mumbled. ⌠I don▓t like guys like that┘they push you around a stuff.■ Eizou, Kaki and Kaiki all smacked their palms down onto the table at the same moment. (Pomona would too if she wasn▓t too busy licking her bowl). Together they yeld in unison. ⌠What kind of a man are you!!!?!■ ⌠Eh?■ Dan was taken a bit aback by all this and smiled nervously. ⌠A Nacho man?■ ⌠You need to march over to Kakures house right now and put that beast of a father in his place.■ Eizou shouted rousing attention throughout the ice cream parlor.  
⌠Beast? That▓s kinda pushing-⌠ Dan was immediately interrupted by Kaiki.  
⌠Do you love her?■ ⌠Yeah? I think I already made that obvi-⌠ ⌠Do you neeeeeeeeeed her!■ Kaiki continued on.  
⌠Uh┘what are you saying?■ Dan raised a confused eyebrow.  
⌠Then you gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, face her fathhhhhhher!!!■ Kaiki began to sing rolling her tongue around in her mouth to create a weird manly sound.  
⌠Boo woop woop boo wooop woop┘■ Pomona and Kaki began to hum clapping their hands.  
⌠Are we doing a musical now?■ Dan asked raising an eyebrow.  
⌠Gotta, get the courage, face that father! Gotta get that girl, face that father! Gotta face the father! Gotta get the girl! Cause you just gotta gotta gotta!■ Kaiki continued to sing hopping on top of the table while Pomona and Kaki continued to beat box the tune. Eizou with a befuddled look turned to Dan, who bounced to his feet and began to sing as well.  
⌠I just gotta get the girl! Get the girl! Gonna make her mine! Wana get her close to me! I gotta get the girl!■ Dan sung while Eizou exchanged confused looks with Kaki.  
⌠But to get the girl, you must face the father, look him in the eye and say≈⌠ ⌠I wana love your baby, wanna treat her right!■ Dan sang grabbing his coat and starting to walk out the door followed by Kaiki, Kaki, Pomona and a very puzzled Eizou behind. Kaiki began to hum in the background.  
⌠Yeah, yeah!■ ⌠And when I get your girl, I▓m gonna hold her tight!■ ⌠Yeah, yeah!■ ⌠Oooh, she▓s gonna drive me crazy, gonna lose control!■ Dan sung as he twirled around a telephone pole and skipped forward down the street while followed by Pomona and Kaki the beat box and Kaiki the back up.  
⌠Yeah, yeah!■ ⌠Cause I got this feeling that I can▓t let go!■ ⌠Yeah, yeah!■ ⌠So your gonna face the father! Get the girl!?!■ Kaiki asked/sung twirling in the air at the exact same moment as Dan and meeting eachother face to face.  
⌠NOPE!■ Dan shouted with glee and on his toe turned around and started to march away back towards Ashikoto.  
⌠But don▓t you gotta get the your girl? Don▓t you gotta hold her tight!?!■ Kaiki asked following after Dan.  
⌠I would Kaiki, but don▓t you seeeee┘I wana live through the night!■ ⌠Waah waah waaaah waaaaaaaaah!!!■ Pomona hummed outloud twiddling her hands.  
⌠But don▓t you want to spend it, with your girl held tight!?!■ Kaiki asked/sung running in front of Dan as he tried to march away.  
⌠Oh, but you▓ve got me all wrong, see I▓m a coward, I▓m a chicken don▓t you see?┘when it comes to dealing with fathers, theirs a few things that, I lack. Angry men, with a shot gun in hand, chasing me, shooting at me, oh I▓d have an attack!■ Dan then broke into a run but was caught off guard by Kaiki leaping in the air and landed right in front of him.  
⌠Why you cowardly, miserable little caterpillar!■ Kaiki grunted shaking her finger in front of his face. Kaki and Pomona began to hum more menacingly. ⌠Don▓t you ever want to become a butterfly? Sprout your wings!?! And flap your way to her!?!!■ ⌠Uh┘no.■ Dan continued to walk around her.  
⌠Daroshay!■ Kaiki cried out!  
⌠Mrs. Kaiki, you▓ve got me wrong, I▓m so strong a person as you think!■ ⌠Your missing the point, don▓t you see, you can do it, go over and look him straight in the eye and say!■ The two of them sung together at the exact same moment.  
⌠ The bottom line is that I stink!■ ⌠She▓s mine!■ ⌠urrgh┘■ Eizou ran around Pomona and Kaki and infront of the Dan and Kaiki. ⌠Now I▓am not one for soliloquies, or musicals and stuff┘but it seems quite clear to me, that cause you wont give him a chance, your just a lazy ass! You sell yourself down the river. What is she to you? Chopped liver?■ Eizou sung surprisingly well.  
⌠Naaah naaaaah waaa┘■ ⌠So perk up your collar, bring out the brass! Walk right over their and kick his ass!■ Eizou hollered perking Dan▓s collar, and clenching her fists.  
⌠You can do it!■ Kaiki and Eizou sung together. As they followed behind Dan while he shrugged off Eizou.  
⌠I can▓t do it!■ Dan groaned.  
⌠You can grab that special girl!■ ⌠I can▓t do it!■ ⌠Just face her father!■ ⌠I can▓t do it!?!■ ⌠Don▓t be a wiiiimp!!!■ ⌠I can▓t do it! I can▓t do it! I caaaaaaaan▓t dooooooo iiiiiit!!!■ ⌠Come on Dan, think about, think about┘the boobies!■ Kaiki screamed.  
⌠The boobies?■ Dan turned around irking his head in a most awkward fashion. Pomona and Kaki both began to hum.  
⌠Boobies, boobies, boobies, boobies, boobies┘■ The multiple instances in which Dan had accidentally snuck a peak rushed through his mind, a metaphorical set of knockers revolving around his head. ⌠I┘.I┘■ ⌠What do you say Daroshay!!!■ Kaiki and Eizou sung in sequence.  
⌠I can do it!■ Dan punched the air turned around and began running towards Kakures place. ⌠I can do it!■ ⌠YEAH!■ All four jumped in the air with him and followed Dan as he sung. ⌠Like a fire burnin▓ deep in my soul!■ ⌠Dah naaaah nah nah daaaaaah!■ Kaki and Pomona went back to an upbeat tune.  
⌠I▓m going crazy, losin my control! And I just, wana, wana, wana love her in a special way!■ ⌠A special way oooooh!■ Kaiki and Eizou hummed in.  
⌠There▓s nothin▓ like this feelin▓ I just gotta say!■ Dan continued to run at top speed bouncing and dashing through the many awestruck people in the streets who were quite taken aback by the random musical posse. ⌠I▓ve just gotta get that girl!■ ⌠Get that girl!■ ⌠Tell her dad that she▓s mine! That I▓m gonna get her close to me, and that▓s the bottom line oooh yeah! I▓m gonna keep trying!■ ⌠Till I get that girl!■ They came closer and closer to Kakures house, Dan peeked in the window with the rest of the girls, Kakure was working frantically in the kitchen trying to cook what appeared to be some sort of noodle dish. Pomona and Kaki slowed down their hum to a nice smooth sound and Dan lightly sung. ⌠Been all over the world┘■ ⌠All over the world.■ Kaiki and Eizou softly sung.  
⌠And all other girls┘■ ⌠All other girls.■ ⌠Don▓t compare, to the sight that I see.■ ⌠Ah, ah, ah, ah!■ ⌠Baby, baby. I just gotta get that girl!■ Suddenly the tempo burst up a notch. ⌠I just gotta get that girl!■ Dan sung as he reached the swinging finale.⌠Wana get her close to me! I just gotta tell her dad she▓s mine! I just gotta get the girl! ■ ⌠Get the girl, get the girl!■ ⌠I just gotta keep on trying till it▓s just Kakure and meeeeee!!!■ Dan finished on a high note as Kaiki, Pomona, Eizou and Kaki slowly backed away humming.  
⌠Gotta, gotta, gotta, get her┘gotta, gotta, gotta get her┘just gotta gotta get her┘■ And thus the musical ended, not just due to the obvious end of the singing but the fact that Kakure was now staring out the window directly at Dan with his collar popped up. ⌠Dan?■ Kakure mouthed from behind the glass.  
⌠Aye!■ Dan stuck up both thumbs at once just like the Fonze. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Seven - Part Two

⌠Dan?■ Kakure mouthed from behind the glass.  
⌠Aye!■ Dan stuck up both thumbs at once just like the Fonze. ⌠Kakure! Who are you talking to!?!■ Onryuku called out from presumably the next room over. He yelled so loudly that even standing outside Dan could hear the booming voice.  
⌠Uh┘well┘■ Kakure called back before turning back towards the window and mouthing. ⌠What the hell are you doing here so late Dan?■ ⌠Huh? I can▓t hear you■ Dan replied tapping his ear. ⌠What are you doing here so late?■ Kakure repeated.  
⌠Still not hearing anything. Look I▓ll just come inside.■ Dan pointed towards the way of the door and started to slowly make his way over to it.  
⌠What!?! Dan what are you doing?■ Kakure cried out. ▒I thought he was going to stay at a hotel┘ Dad is going to freak!▓ ⌠Who▓s Dan?■ Onryuku asked. ⌠That▓s a strange name┘■ Dan came up to the front door and without even knocking stepped right in.  
⌠Bad, bad, bad.■ Kakure sprinted out of the kitchen through the living room, past Onryuku down into the narrow hallway leading up to Dan. ⌠What are you doing?■ Kakure whispered. ⌠And why weren▓t you at the school?■ ⌠I got delayed┘good news is I▓ve got a job, and a place to stay just a half hour walk away from here!■ Dan smiled proudly beaming.  
⌠Really only 30 minutes?■ Kakure asked momentarily losing grasp of the situation.  
⌠Well probably 45┘I had to run a bit to get here sooner.■ Dan remarked scratching his chin a bit.  
⌠Wait, what am I talking about. My dad isn▓t going to want to know that I▓ve got a boyfriend!?! Nether the less one way older then me┘or even worse, a gaijin!■ Kakure whispered cringing her fingers.  
⌠Hey, how▓s being a Gaijin worse then being older then you?■ Dan asked crossing his arms.  
⌠It just is, okay.■ ⌠Kakure? Who is that? Did you invite a friend over? I distinctly remember saying no friends on school nights!■ ⌠I▓ve got to do this.■ Dan stepped forward a bit.  
⌠Why? Do what?■ ⌠Look you won▓t be an adult for at least another year and a bit. Do you really think we can stay together for that long without him finding out? And when he does?■ ⌠Well he can▓t arrest you. Unless your thinking of doing something┘■ Kakure paused briefly. ⌠That I▓m not ready for.■ ⌠No┘well┘maybe, but beyond that. I think I should clear the air with him. You know.■ Dan tried to explain. ⌠Who knows maybe he▓ll like me.■ ⌠He doesn▓t like anyone.■ Kakure grumbled. ⌠But┘ you know what. Go for it.■ Kakure raised her head smiling meekly. ⌠If you really feel the urge to stand up for me┘go for it.■ ⌠Right■ Dan nodded his head. And began to step forward down the hall which was beginning to feel supernaturally long. ⌠Oooh man┘maybe this wasn▓t just a good idea.■ Dan moaned as his bravery began to shrink away once more.  
⌠Dad!■ Kakure called out running ahead of Dan. ⌠I want you to meet somebody!■ ⌠So you did invite a friend over! What did I tell you about inviting friends over on school nights!■ Onryuku hollered out with an annoyed tone to his voice. Dan slinked back a bit. ▒Maybe if I just turn into Danielle, yeah pretend to be an exchange student, one of Kakure▓s friends┘ NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! I can▓t, I just keep skipping around the inevitable. I need to put a strong face on and look him in the eye. Dan marched forward and around the corner.  
⌠Hey.▓ Dan waved to the large green haired man. Onryuku stared back with a slightly confused look.  
⌠Who, the hell are you?■ Onryuku asked raising an eyebrow and looking to his daughter. Kakure motioned to Dan to carry on with it.  
⌠I▓am┘Dan Lakai Daroshay the third and I┘I love your daughter.■ Dan bowed trying to be as polite as possible.  
⌠Eh?■ Onryuku tilted his head. ⌠How old are you?■ ⌠23.■ Dan bit his teeth together, expecting the worse.  
⌠You don▓t look a day over 18.■ Onryuku responded. ⌠Wait, YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND!!! WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?■ Onryuku swung around and shouted in his daughters face. ⌠Well┘you were gone for a long time.■ Kakure shrugged nervously. ⌠Your too young for this sort of thing! You have school to worry about, not just some boy.■ Onryuku continued to shout at his daughter.  
⌠Man actually.■ Dan added in waving his index finger. ⌠Hey, wait a sec. Why are you yelling at her? I▓m the one who┘seduced her!■ Dan announced melodramatically, shaking his arms back and forth epically.  
⌠Seduced?■ Kakure narrowed her eyes a sweat drop rolling down her green hair.  
⌠You kidding me, you couldn▓t seduce a camel.■ Onryuku smirked turning away from Dan and back to his daughter.  
⌠What would your mother say if she knew you were lollygagging about with some foreign boy.■ ⌠Hey, you know what!■ Dan stomped forward standing in-between Onryuku and Kakure. ⌠Just stop it alright. Look I don▓t know what your problem is, I don▓t know if it▓s a Japanese custom to guilt trip your daughters but you know what, I▓m not going to stand by and watch Kakure take this kind of bull shit from you.■ Onryuku paused and glared at Dan for a bit.  
⌠Why is your Japanese so good?■ Onryuku asked with a puzzled expression. ⌠For a Gaijin.■ ⌠Well for starters, I live here.■ Dan said matter of factly.  
⌠Really? Where do you work?■ Onryuku asked matter of factly.  
⌠Ashikoto high┘I▓m an English teacher.■ Dan smirked.  
⌠Reaaaally┘and English teacher, well isn▓t that just convenient.■ Onryuku leered turning back to his daughter. ⌠The one class your hopeless in and you just so happen to start dating the teacher┘ tsk, tsk.■ ⌠Dude┘she goes to Juuban high.■ Dan said in an almost sarcastic manner.  
⌠What? Why didn▓t you tell me this?■ Onryuku asked glowering down to Kakure.  
Who was almost starting to snivel a bit.  
⌠You never asked┘■ Dan butted in. ⌠Have even had a single decent conversation with your daughter since┘since┘■ Dan stopped himself before he said something incredibly stupid. ⌠Look Onryuku┘ just how much do you really know about your daughter?■ ⌠Well┘er┘■ Onryuku stuttered a bit. ⌠Did I mention yet that your Japanese is impeccable?■ ⌠For a Gaijin yeah.■ Onryuku turned back towards his daughter. ⌠Kakure┘ what did you make me for dinner?■ he asked in a surprisingly soft voice.  
⌠Just noodles┘ and instant soup mix┘■ Kakure sighed. ⌠But I could make Kushidango┘if you wanted me too.■ ⌠Your┘your mother used to make the best Kushidango.■ Onryuku sighed. ⌠Alright. Go on.■ Onryuku motioned with his hand for Kakure to head back to the kitchen. ⌠I▓m just going to have a talk with┘Mr. Daroshay.■ Kakure nodded and gave Dan a nervous smile before walking off. Onryuku let out a sigh of his own before turning to face Dan again. ⌠So┘take a seat.■ Onryuku instructed Dan motioning to the couch which he was still sitting on. Dan paused for a bit. ⌠What you feel uncomfortable sitting next to me? Okay fine, then stand.■ ⌠No, it▓s okay┘I▓m, I▓m good.■ Dan muttered a bit as he took a seat next to Onryuku trying to be as calm as possible. ⌠So┘ you, live. Permantly in Tokyo?■ Onryuku asked with a some what depressed tone that sounded like he wasn▓t fully willing to accept Dan as of yet, but felt the need to appease his daughter.  
⌠Yeah. I have an on campus residence at Ashikoto.■ Dan replied. ⌠So your not an exchange teacher then?■Onryuku asked with great scrutiny. ⌠Not going to just leave my little girl before the year if through?■ ⌠No sir. I have a ten year work visa that just cleared.■ Dan replied. ⌠And I▓m free to get another once its up. So nope. I▓m not going anywhere Mr. Morino.■ Dan Smiled slouching against the couch.  
⌠Well┘■ Onryuku rubbed his chin. ⌠You don▓t seem like that bad of a guy┘and it would be good for my daughter to have someone looking after her, with me not around. Look┘■ Onryuku took out a pad of paper and a pen and began to write out a set of numbers across it. ⌠You update me on everything she▓s up to every week. And I▓ll allow you to date my daughter.■ Onryuku offered the piece of paper over to Dan.  
⌠Wait, you want me to spy on your daughter?■ Dan asked with a puzzled expression. ⌠I don▓t know if I can.■ ⌠Look at it like this┘it gives you all the more reason to come over here.■ Onryuku smiled, which was actually quite creepy looking all things considered. He offered out his hand to Dan. ⌠This is how you complete a deal is it not?■ Onryuku asked a bit taken back by Dan▓s confused/startled look.  
▒Aaaah man do I have much a choice?▓ Dan asked himself looking to Onryuku▓s comparably large hand. ▒Nope, not really.▓ ⌠Okay.■ Dan accepted the offer sealing it with a handshake.  
---MEANWHILE IN DIMENSION 2022DD32624CX3202BHI-  
In another Tokyo, in another world a young green eyed girl walked away from an ice rink. A pair of ice skate slung over her back and wearing a white tank top she slowly made her way through the parking lot towards the underground bike parking garage. ⌠Hiroko!■ Called out a young man, rushing towards her with a pen and pad of paper. He appeared to be somewhere in his early teens and had long black hair tied back into a pony tail.  
⌠Takamei? What are you doing here?■ Hiroko asked placing a hand on her blue jean hips as the young man finally caught up with her.  
⌠Master┘master┘he▓s coming.■ Takamei cried out in-between gasps for breath.  
⌠What▓s coming? What are you talking about?■ Hiroko asked a with a concerned expression.  
⌠Loco Moco!■ Takamei exclaimed turning around and pointing to a much older man dressed in what appeared to be steam powered battle armor. Huge pipes jutted out of his metal encased arms and legs, each spewing out a steady stream of grey smoke. ⌠It ends here, Hiroko.■ The steam powered hero exclaimed his armored chest opening up to reveal a rustic looking but still very advanced ion canon. ⌠You again■ Hiroko moaned. ⌠Honestly, I really wish sometimes that you heroes would just stay dead.■ Hiroko groaned as she slid her skates off her shoulder and placed them neatly on the ground, all the while Loco Moco continued to build up his energy blast.  
⌠Time to pay!■ Loco Moco screamed at the top of his lungs as a furious blast of blue energy was fired out of his chest directly at Hiroko. The clatter of metal was heard as Hiroko summoned a pair of scythes, flicked them around and got them in such a manner that they spun at an incredible rate around her wrists. The ion blue energy collided with the spinning blades of metal and was torn up into tiny sparks of energy. ⌠Yeah┘can you just go now?■ Hiroko asked with an annoyed expression. ⌠I mean come on. This is just sad.■ Hiroko looked to Loco Roco expecting a lame half decent response all she heard was silence. ⌠Well you got anything to say tin man?■ Loco Roco began to slump a bit then finally clattered to the ground a much shorter man with a whisp of orange energy flowing between his fingers and another man with a long sword who looked much like Hiroko stood in his place.  
⌠So this is the one?■ Prince Daroshay asked looking to Admiral Hirobi. Hirobi simply nodded. ⌠Well good. Oh hi there!■ Prince Daroshay smiled coyly towards Hiroko. ⌠Yamatake I take it?■ ⌠Who, or what are you?■ Hiroko asked with an irritable expression.  
⌠The one in the sea captains outfit looks just like you Hiroko.■ Takamei commented looking to Hirobi with a worrisome expression.  
⌠Yes┘thank you for once more stating the blatantly obvious, Takamei.■ Hiroko smirked. ⌠Well?■ ⌠I▓am the conqueror of this world.■ Daroshay smirked crossing his arms. ⌠Soon my roses will arrive and nothing will be able to stop me, not even you.■ ⌠Oh really?■ Hiroko asked raising an eyebrow. ⌠Then why have you come to me?■ Hiroko asked curiously.  
⌠Because my scan droids have found you to be the most powerful entity on this planet, and there is always room in the Rosella empire for new talent.■ Daroshay continued on.  
⌠And I take it, copy cat over there is such an example of this talent your looking for?■ Hiroko asked.  
⌠Who▓s copying who?!?■ Admiral Hirobi hollered out.  
⌠Either way, this is my world. And I plan to rule it myself┘ and I▓m not letting a few screwballs take that away from me.■ Hiroko smirked before looking to Takamei. ⌠Run.■ ⌠What? But master I can help you.■ Takamei pleaded.  
⌠Just run you moron.■ Hiroko barked. Takamei sighly turned and ran away. ⌠So your choosing to fight us then?■ Prince Daroshay asked curiously. ⌠Because you know you can▓t win.■ Hiroko took the two tiny scythes that she still held in either of her hands and attached them together at the ends. Using her psychic power she levitated the twin scythe forward a bit telekinetically spinning it mid air, the blade and steel growing longer and wider as it spun. Till finally it reached it▓s full size, more then two feet longer then her own height. Each blade well over three feet in length, she grabbed ahold of the curved handle of the scythe and brought it forward. ⌠Ha, theirs only two of you.■ Hiroko smirked motioning for the other two too attack.  
⌠How dreadful.■ Daroshay sighed summoning a 5 foot long orange energy sword from his palm while Admiral Hirobi readied his katana. The two kicked off together on the same tangent flying straight forward.  
⌠Hiya!■ Hiroko swung the scythe straight down into the ground thus swinging herself up into the air spreading her legs and dodging both of Hirobi and Daroshay▓s charges. ⌠Yeeeeeee┘■ Hiroko continued to push the scythe while in mid air, whipping it out of the ground, and turning it in the palm of her hand revolving the blades so that they aligned with Hirobi and Daroshay. ⌠YIIIIIIIIII!!!!■ Hiroko spun on the tip of her toe at inhuman speeds her dual Scythe acting like a spinning helicopter blade. Hirobi and Daroshay however with their heightened reflexes saw the blade coming, turn around back to back and brought their swords to the ready, striking the long scythe blades back everytime it revolved to either side. ⌠Grrr┘■ Hiroko noted that the technique was only managing to distract the two so placing some energy into her feet she kicked off the ground and flew up into the air above the parking lot. Flipping in mid air she let go of one hand from the handle and brought it in front of her hand and began to chant. While she did so the dual scythe began to hover out of her other hand, floating infront of the palm a few inches. Again the scythe began to spin around like a saw mill blade but this time the frequent rotations left behind a trace line of violet energy slowly forming into a tight circle.  
Meanwhile on the ground Hirobi and Daroshay had looked up nodded to eachother and took off into the air, the power ripple causing nearby windshields to shatter and crack.  
⌠CHURRO!!!■ Hiroko screamed as the ring began to break off, firing darts of blue energy hurtling towards Hirobi and Daroshay, flying at them at the rate of a gattling gun Hirobi and Daroshay had to dodge quickly as to not get hit. ⌠ARGH!!!■ Hirobi fell back a blast clipping him in the middle of the chest and leaving a hole right through him. ⌠What?■ Daroshay looked towards Hirobi for a brief second and was hit twice on either arm the force of the blast causing either of his arms to bend back so far that they popped out of their sockets. ⌠Arrrgh!!!■ The two men screamed as they fell to the earth landing with a thud.  
⌠Heh.■Hiroko slowly floated to the ground brisking back her long silver hair stepping over to the fallen opponents, Hirobi was squirming on the ground while Daroshay bit his teeth in pain as he flailed about on the ground. ⌠Well that was kinda fun.■ ⌠Now!■ Daroshay shouted two creepers literally leaping out of the shadows and into physical porporitions wrapped around either of Daroshays shoulders melting their inky bodies into the wounds bridging the gap between bones and eliminating the pain. Hovered to his feet a flash of violet energy erupting out of his chest fading away to reveal a less holy chest. Only a burn hole through either side of his uniform revealing any damage. The two moved left and right encircling Hiroko.  
⌠Eh.■ Hiroko moaned bringing her scythe back up and bringing it down horizontally and swinging it on an angle that blocked both moves. ⌠Why do they always play possum.■ Hiroko grumbled as continued to swing the scythe either way blocking slash after slash. ⌠You can▓t win.■ Hirobi called out before leaping in mid air and stabbing straight down for Hiroko▓s head. She looked up at the last moment and creating a force field around her face richocheting the rather weak blow. Daroshay also lept into the air pulling out the same move, thus exchanging positions of either fighters. ⌠We▓re both just as strong as you, and theirs two of us.■ ⌠I don▓t think so.■ Hiroko smirked striking back and forth. ⌠If theirs two of you, you▓ve each got to watch eachothers backs, plus it would be pretty embarrassing if you ended up striking eachother. Yeah you▓ve got to be way more careful, can▓t do anything too risky┘however.■ Hiroko eyed the dozens of cars littering the lot, locking onto 4 of them she telekinetically pulled them towards herself. ⌠I don▓t have to worry about anyone but myself.■ Hiroko laughed as she used the distraction of the incoming cars to kick off the ground and escape the endless melee. A station wagon ripped through Daroshay leaving behind deep scratches and cuts but nothing too serious. Hiroko looked back on this with fear. ⌠She▓s right you know.■ Hirobi said looking to Prince Daroshay. ⌠We simply can▓t beat someone like her through close combat┘ she cant▓ do much either. What with having to watch each of our attacks and what not.■ ⌠I just remembered why I killed you in my dimension.■ Daroshay said with a worried expression looking up to Hiroko who was floating slightly above them glowing brilliant violet as each strand of her silver hair stood on end. ⌠Why▓s that?■ Hirobi asked before looking up to see Hiroko. ⌠You never knew when to shut up and keep your mind in the game.■ Daroshay skipped out of the way at the last moment before Hiroko unleashed an earth shaking psychic blast concentrated within 10 feet. ⌠Wha?!!■ Hirobi turned and looked up to the incoming flash of light. ⌠Eh!■ Hirobi slashed at it with his sword stopping the blast very very briefly, just briefly enough for him to unleash a spark of a psychic blast, which began to push back against Hiroko▓s. ⌠Neeeh┘.help me┘■ Hirobi cried out the overwhelming large blast from Hiroko being more then he could possibly bear, it was already far too big to be pushed back given their equal power level. And all his own blast was doing was holding it back a few feet┘and that itself was beginning to slip.  
⌠I don▓t know┘she seems a little bit more happy go lucky then you┘more fun to be around.■ Daroshay smirked standing away from the fight.  
⌠What!?!■ Hirobi cried out continuing to lose ground. ⌠But my armada▓s┘you need my┘armadas!■ ⌠Oh my yes┘but do they need you?■ Daroshay laughed floating up into the air away from Hirobi. ⌠They▓ll never take orders from someone who betrayed their master!!!■ Hirobi groaned as his barrier began to crack and shatter. ⌠Oh, I would certainly imagine so. But, will they take orders from the man who fought bravely alongside their master, up until the moment he was struck down on the battle field by the enemy?■ Daroshay laughed flying into the air his long robes flapping around him.  
⌠ARRRRRRRRRRGH!!! YOU TRAITOR!!!■ Hirobi screamed as the psychic blast broke through smashing him into the asphault and relentlessly pressing on. ⌠Neeeeeeeeeeegh..■ Hirobi squirmed as he the blast crushed him further and further into the earth. His mask began to crack along the edges.  
⌠Damn it.■ Hiroko grumbled keeping up the torrent of violet energy flowing from her forehead. Still due to their equality of power she could not manage to destroy him so long as Hirobi concentrated on his defense.  
⌠Need some help?■ Daroshay asked walking along a path of orange energy right up along side Hiroko. ⌠What? I thought you were with him?■ Hiroko squirmed feeling quite uncomfortable, un able to hold off the assault and defend herself if Daroshay chose to struck.  
⌠AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAEGGGH!!!■ Hirobi continued to cry out as his body vibrated violently, the comparably soft tarmac warping in around him causing parked cars to slide towards him and being blown to pieces the moment they contacted the torrent of psychic energy. Hirobi▓s face mask continued to crack, bits of it shattering off now.  
⌠He can not be trusted. You know he murdered every human in his world for his own selfish gains?■ Daroshay asked summoning up a orange psychic vision orb that displayed Admiral Hirobi▓s empty world along with shots of him ripping Son-Son▓s tail and spinal column out, among other violent sights. ⌠Now is that anyway to rule a world?■ ⌠I see.■ Hiroko smiled nodding her head. ⌠So┘■ Daroshay asked tapping his foot on the sold light platform. ⌠Need some help?■ ⌠Sounds like a plan.■ Hiroko replied. Daroshay cringed his fingers claw like and placed them next to his forehead. Connecting the thumbs and spacing the index fingers out to create 3 sides of a square. ⌠Animus, Flatus!■ Daroshay called out a three finger wide and high blast of energy shot out from his forehead and joined into Hiroko▓s swirling and corkscrewing around her violet energy the blast struck down into Hirobi ripping straight into his chest burning and cauterizing the wound as it continued to spread an inch every second.  
⌠AAEHEEEEEEH EEEEEEEEEH!!!!■ Hirobi thrashed in pain as his torso was burnt away till only disattached limbs and everything above his neck remained. At this moment his mask completely disintegrated into a fine powder. ⌠Now┘■ Daroshay flew straight down foot forward. ⌠HIIIIIIII!!!!■ His foot moved at fantastic speeds gathering momentum until finally it met Hirobi▓s face just as his emerald eyes began to glow.  
⌠Meh┘eh..blurble┘■ Hirobi▓s disembodied head gurgled for a few seconds before Daroshays boot flew onto it crushing Admiral Hirobi▓s beautiful face underneath his foot. Light red fluids and orange stuff flowed out from underneath Prince Daroshay▓s brown boots, soaking Hirobi▓s long silver hair. ⌠YAAAAA!!!■ Daroshay fired out a blast from each of his palms straight into Hirobi▓s arms causing them to vibrate a bit before exploding in a gooey burst. ⌠Aaaah┘■ Daroshay sighed looking back up to Hiroko who looked down with a slightly disgusted look. ⌠Oh? Too gory for you?■ Daroshay tilted his head slightly before launching himself out of the pit and back up 80 feet to meet Hiroko. ⌠Then just think about the millions of babies he butchered, as they cried clinging to their mothers cold dead Teets. The civilization he extinguished┘ and good and the bad that he slayed to achieve what he thought was a perfect society┘no society.■ Daroshay hissed into her ears.  
⌠It▓s still pretty nasty looking.■ Hiroko replied throwing up a bit in her mouth at the sight of Hirobis shatter squished face and charred remains.  
⌠Very well┘if you feel the bastard deserves a burial.■ Daroshay reached down and telekinetically pulled the displaced asphalt back over Hirobi▓s charred corpse and filled in the crater. ⌠Hic, Hoc, Potani, Activato.■ The asphalt and dirt suddenly heated up and smoothed over reforming into a flat patch of parking space. Leaving no sign (besides the dozens of ruined vehicles and debris) of the conflict.  
⌠So┘ now do we fight again?■ Hiroko asked readying her scythe.  
⌠Fight? Why of course not. I simply fought you as a means to destroy that genocidal fool. Now I propose an offer. I have recently discovered the existence of many other worlds, and I have developed a form of technology that allows me to journey between them. There are atleast 12 other worlds, and I would be more then willing to give you this one, if you were to side with my cause.■ Daroshay explained. ⌠Think about it, an entire army, an space fleet, and unlimited resources to remake the world, as you see fit.■ ⌠That sounds┘not half bad. But┘how do I know YOU won▓t simply crush MY head in should the mood strike you?■ Hiroko asked stepping back in mid air a bit.  
⌠Oh, you don▓t┘but. Do you really think I▓ am more powerful then you?■ Daroshay asked with a sly smile.  
⌠Heh┘good point. Well┘what the hell.■ Hiroko shook hands with Daroshay, suddenly feeling a horrible burning sensation in the middle of her palm. ⌠Neh.■ Hiroko pulled her hand back and looked down to see the Tractonia symbol now burned into her palm. ⌠Hrrm┘.■ Hiroko clenched her fist shrouding it in violet light, opened her palm again, but still the symbol remained. ⌠What the hell is this!?!■ ⌠Oh, that is my mark. It grants you the position of number two amongst my forces.■ Prince Daroshay explained as he pulled out a communicator. ⌠David┘please cancel the Rosebud operations in this world.■ ⌠What? Why sire?■ ⌠We▓ve found a much greater prize.■ Daroshay smirked, smiling slyly towards Hiroko.  
-----Meanwhile in the universe of BSSMShadows-  
⌠Hahahhahahaha! It was a Volkswageon wrapped around a Volvo!■ Dan laughed at the kitchen table. Onryuku who was red in the face continued to hoot. ⌠Ehehheheheh! Oh my goodness┘ heheheheh!■ Onryuku laughed tea spouting slightly out of his nostrils. Kakure watched the scene with mixed emotions. One part of her was ecstatic to see her father hitting it off with Dan so well, but another part was asking why her father was acting so darn nice? And was he seriously laughing. ⌠You┘you are a very funny man, Dan-kun.■ ⌠Dude, did you just call me Dan-Kun┘wow┘I▓m working my way up the ladder.■ Dan laughed hysterically as he bit off another piece of the Kushidango and rolled it around in his mouth.  
⌠So┘uh┘what do you think of my Kushidango?■ Kakure asked nervously.  
⌠This┘ is AWESOME!!!■ Dan thundered with his mouth open bits flying across the table hitting Kakure in the face. ⌠Uh┘oops.■ Dan shrinked back a bit. ⌠Look er, let me help you.■ Dan reached with a napkin for her face but Kakure moved away. ⌠It▓s okay┘I▓ll just go┘to the bathroom.■ Kakure said fumbling out of her chair and slinking off to the bathroom.  
⌠Huh, why don▓t you just wipe it off here!?!■ Dan called out as she disappeared down the hallway. Onryuku looked to Dan with a look of concern. ⌠I don▓t know if things are different in America, but usually if a women runs off to the bathroom┘it▓s probably not a good sign.■ Onryuku explained.  
⌠Canada┘so you mean, like, she▓s upset about something?■ Dan asked with a confused expression.  
⌠That or her pads▓ leaking┘■ Onryuku shrugged turning away from Dan and continuing to eat some noodles.  
Dan: O.O┘.  
Onryuku: What?  
Dan: Uh┘.  
Onryuku: Presuming they leak.  
Dan: Leak┘.O.O Onryuku: Urgh just go see what she wants!  
Dan pulled himself away from the table and made his way slowly down the hall, and knocked on the door. ⌠Hey, Kakure? What▓s going on?■ Dan asked awkwardly not used to this certain aspect of relationships. Suddenly the door swung open, Kakure grabbed Dan by the front of his white dress shirt and pulled him in, closing the door behind him.  
Inside Kakure didn▓t look very happy.  
⌠Dan.■ Kakure said in a scornful voice.  
⌠eh, yeaaah┘■ Dan replied in a nervous almost childish voice.  
⌠Did you drug my father?■ Kakure asked with a dead pan look.  
⌠Wha? No, I don▓t even know where I can buy weed in this town, er I mean no, why?■ Dan replied raising an eyebrow.  
⌠I have not seen my dad laugh for over 5 years┘■ Kakure replied with a frown.  
⌠Well┘then why is THIS a bad thing?■ Dan asked tilting his head to the side.  
⌠You just don▓t understand do you?■ Kakure replied folding her arms and turning her back to him.  
⌠No, not really.■ Dan replied shaking his head. ⌠If I was to walk in on us I▓d think , theirs a happy, if not a bit untraditional family.■ ⌠My father wanted a boy!■ Kakure shouted throwing her arms back in frustration and lowering her brow.  
⌠Really?■ Dan asked. ⌠You▓re a lot cuter then a boy.■ ⌠No┘look┘I▓ve just always had this feeling that dad ignores me, because he doesn▓t want to think I exist┘■ Kakure sulked lowering her head. ⌠And just looking at how he acts around you, well, it just seals the deal┘■ ⌠Naaah, I▓m not seeing that.■ Dan shook his head back and forth. ⌠Sure it▓s not just all in your head?■ ⌠Do not belittle me Dan!■ Kakure cried back. ⌠Urrrgh┘■ ⌠Look, I don▓t know much. But from what I▓ve seen and heard so far, your father really loves you. He just doesn▓t know how too┘if that makes any sense at all?■ Dan looked off a bit. ⌠But┘. You know┘maybe with me around, things will change? Maybe he just didn▓t like the idea of it just being the two of you, or something like that, urgh┘ well. I don▓t know what else to say.■ Dan hung his head in shame at not being able to come up with something of a solution. ⌠I▓m sorry, if you want I can just leave now.■ Dan turned and headed for the door.  
⌠No!■ Kakure placed her hand on his shoulder and Dan slowly turned around. ⌠Don▓t go.■ Dan looked down to Kakure. Who eyes glimmering a bit with tears. ⌠Don▓t go anywhere.■ Kakure collapsed into Dan▓s arms.  
⌠Uh.■ Dan looked down to her awkwardly for a moment before wrapping his own arms around her, holding her up and bringing her slightly closer, feeling her warmth through his fairly thin white dress shirt. ⌠I▓m not leaving┘■ Dan said calmly looking across to Kakure, his own shortness making him on level with her own eye line even if she was slightly hunched over. ⌠I won▓t ever leave.■ Dan continued to look into Kakures eyes briefly before she closed her eyes and moved in closer towards him. ⌠┘■ Dan moved in towards Kakures lips, then pulled back. ⌠Wait.■ ⌠Huh?■ Kakure opened her eyes and looked to Dan with a confused expression. Why▓d he stop? The question was answered however as Dan closed his own eyes and moved towards Kakure, this time on feeling alone. ⌠Giggle.■ Kakure and Dan locked lips for quite a bit lost within their own sensations until finally they separated, the two of them exchanging affectionate looks. ⌠So, I guess this is our first real kiss then?■ Kakure asked while still embracing Dan.  
⌠You taste like that Kushidango.■ Dan said smacking his lips.  
⌠Your hopeless.■ Kakure letting go Dan and pushing him off of herself ⌠Eh?■ Dan scratched his bushy blonde hair a bit. ⌠So, your happy now?■ Dan asked with a confused expression.  
⌠Come on.■ Kakure grabbed Dan by the hand and left the bathroom and went back into the kitchen.  
⌠So┘?■ Onryuku looked to the two smiling.  
⌠So what?■ Kakure asked smiling as though nothing was out of place.  
⌠Excellent.■ ----------------Later that Night-  
⌠Yes, yes, I▓d love to stay Onryuku but, well their aren▓t any beds here, and I▓ve got work in the morning┘■ Dan sighed as he stood in the door way.  
⌠Well, if you say so.■ Onryuku shrugged a bit. ⌠You probably won▓t see me for at least another month though. The companies shipping me out to Boston tomorrow.■ ⌠Well see you then.■ Dan waved, turning around and walking down the fairly quiet street towards Ashikoto high. ⌠Hey┘look, out in the street, can▓t you see the man is Dan Daroshay┘Hey look, rocken the streets, don▓t you know the man is Dan Daroshay┘■ Dan hummed to himself as he skipped along the dark streets.

---------MEANWHILE in Rosella Outpost 1-  
Floating in the depths of space, an armada/fleet of hundreds of starships float. Hundreds more smaller fighters hidden in their hulls, they are the nearly pointless forces of the recently deceased Admiral Hirobi. This was the world he had spent so many years in, populated completely by Animoids, a bizarre and quite possibly unholy creature of his creation. Part animal half man, they held the physical appearance of humans but with animal tendencies and appearances. The ships themselves were smooth and curved with a fish like design and constructed completely out of a silver finish. Among them were also Rosella ships, much more jagged and piercing in design with bits and pieces of their mechanical parts sticking out, not hidden or clothed with armor plating like Hirobi▓s fleet. In the middle of all of this was a single ship that resembled a lotus blossom, Admiral Hirobi▓s floating palace. A small jagged shaped shuttle raced towards the bottom of the lotus docking into the landing platform. As Hiroko, David and Daroshay stepped out of their shuttle they were greeted by a small flock of Animoids dressed in blue and gold outfits very similar to Admiral Hirobi.  
▒Remember, stick to the story I told you, and they will fall into our hands.▓ Prince Dan telekinetically communed with Hiroko.  
▒Why do we want┘these┘creatures? On our side? Aren▓t they just as bad as they▓re creator?▓ Hiroko asked back, a duffel bag swinging at her side. ▒These, Animoids as he called them, are simply pawns created by Hirobi and led astray. They are no more evil then any other human, if not a bit kinder.▓ Daroshay replied.  
One fox-girl approached Daroshay and Hiroko with a worried look. ⌠We received your transmission that┘ is he truly?■ She asked with a very tearful expression. Daroshay simply bowed and reaching into his robes pulled out Admiral Hirobi▓s face mask cracked and broken.  
⌠Gaaaaaasp!■ The entire audience of Animoids gasped and collapsed upon one another in grief, many of their animal instincts taking over, they began to howl, squawk and meow with saddened calls that could almost be heard out in the very void of space.  
⌠I am┘so immensely sorry.■ Prince Daroshay lied especially well rising back to his feet. ⌠The two of us, fought so hard┘but they▓re were too many of them┘■ Daroshay moaned punching the floor of the battle ship in sorrow.  
⌠Who┘who did this to our master?■ The fox girl asked gritting her teeth.  
⌠Moco┘Loco.■ Hiroko said pulling out the helmet and inside it, the disembodied head of the iron clad hero. ⌠After he murdered Hirobi, we used our combined psychic rage to destroy him.■ Daroshay began to hover off the floor generating a platform out of orange energy.  
⌠His mercy was his downfall.■ Daroshay announced as he hovered high above the hanger, his voice booming across the entire room. ⌠His enemies took advantage of him, knowing he would never kill┘now I ask you┘will you live by his folly?■ The Animoids exchanged expressions of confusion, hatred and dread with one another. ⌠Will you stand beside me and Hiroko as we continue to fight the very evil that cut short your masters life?■ Daroshay asked clenching a white gloved fist. The Animoids began to nod their heads slowly. ⌠Will you help me unite the very cosmos, for peace, for security, for one Rossela Empire!?!■ The Animoids broke into cheers. ⌠Do not hesistate, show no mercy!!!■ The Animoids broke into thunderous applause. Daroshay took it in slowing drawing his arms towards himself as though he was bringing in the very souls of the masses. ⌠Sir┘■ David called up to his master. ⌠We have a problem┘■ ▒What is it David┘I▓m sort of having a moment here.▓ Daroshay asked over a psychic link not even bothering to look down to David.  
⌠The┘erm scouting team that went into Universe 8┘they▓ve been┘completely annihilated.■ ▒Have you sent in any forces yet?▓ ⌠Sir┘they▓ve been destroyed too┘along with 2 Bulbs┘we▓re losing.■ ▒I see┘▓ ⌠We march to Universe 8 in Twelve hundred hours!■ Prince Daroshay announced pointing upwards, the audience breaking into thunderous applause. 


	9. Chapter 9

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Shadows War of the Rose Chapter Eight

⌠I think I caught something the other day. Since when do we sing?■ Eizou grumbled to her friends. Kakure was doing her best keeping a straight face.

⌠Well, I don▓t know,■ Kaki shrugged. ⌠Maybe this is a universe constructed by some great creator and we▓re all fan based? Not to mention that our original author had someone take over that last chapter?■

⌠You▓re nuts! We▓re very much real,■ Pomona leaned over and hit Kaki across the head. The other▓s head smashed into the table, sending her drink across the top to the other side as the others scurried to avoid the wave. ⌠See? That hurt!■

⌠A traditional pinch would▓ve sufficed,■ Kaki hissed, her eyes glinting dangerously. ⌠You annoying.. my drink!■ She straightened. ⌠My head!■ She groaned, rubbing at a bruise fast forming. ⌠You▓re worse than Minako!■

⌠Ouch..■ Eizou winced. ⌠Sure, just be insulting.■

⌠Oh, quiet.■

⌠Hey guys!■ Nigori plopped down, being tailed by Haimutsu and Toki. ⌠We went to Setsuna liked you asked, Kakure but are you sure you know what you▓re doing?■

Toki actually spoke before Kakure could open her mouth. ⌠Setsuna brought up a point. If he wasn▓t supposed to exist here, than something bad can and will eventually happen. He has to go back to his own timeline.■

⌠Yea..■ Kakure looked out the window, heaving a lone sigh. Eizou▓s eyes softened.

⌠I know how hard it is to do the right thing. Even if he▓s settling in, you▓ve got a boyfriend, and well, at least you haven▓t reached any bases, right?■ Eizou asked brightly.

⌠Oh god, Eizou, why did you ask that?■ Kaki▓s eyebrow twitched. ⌠That▓s disturbing..■

⌠Tell me about it,■ Eizou snorted. ⌠But hey, you▓re sixteen! We▓re legally old enough to get married!■ She said brightly.

⌠He▓s not going to marry me,■ Kakure turned red. ⌠Let alone get anywhere with me. It▓s just this foreboding feeling, I can▓t sleep that well because of it.■

⌠Hmm.. well, you are the closest to him,■ Haimutsu agreed. ⌠We tend to be able to read those whom we are very close to. Like Toki but then, she▓s a picture book.■

⌠I▓ll ignore that,■ Toki glowered before turning. ⌠When are you going to talk to him?■

⌠He▓s finishing his teaching in a half hour,■ Kakure was still looking out at the window, her gaze moving up to the skies. She was unable to meet her friend▓s gaze. The only one that may have understood best was Eizou as the said girl stared into her own drink, falling back into old and painful memories.

⌠We need to cheer you both up!■ Pomona began. ⌠Let▓s go!■ She reached across the table but slipped on her feet, her nose smashing into the tabletop. ⌠Ouch.. help?■

The girls helped Pomona to stop her nose from bleeding and by the time they had exited, were laughing and talking brightly, as if there was nothing life changing happening soon.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kakure tapped her foot impatiently, looking at her watch before looking up to scan the school yard. ⌠Where is that idiot of mine!■

⌠I didn▓t realize you gave me a nickname,■ Dan looked agitated and annoyed at the tie around his collar. ⌠They made me wear this. Can▓t believe what a headache I have from them students trying saying the word English alone. It▓s not Ingrish, it▓s ENGLISH..■

Kakure glared at him.

⌠Sorry, forgot you can▓t speak it either. So what▓s the special occasion or surprise? We planned on meeting tomorrow night, right?■

⌠Uh..■ Kakure blinked before she gave a helpless shrug. ⌠What can I say, I missed you.■

Something flickered in his eyes. ⌠Huh.. that▓s sweet but stupid. Could▓ve just called me.■

⌠So what, you wouldn▓t have wanted to see me?■ Kakure began before a gaggle of girls came running up. All of them were attempting to speak English and Kakure, while she couldn▓t understand them, saw the slow creeping blush across Dan▓s neck toward his face and her eyes narrowed very thinly.

Her lips pinched as she began to walk backwards away. ⌠Fine, whatever, Dan. Have fun with all of your little girlfriends,■ she turned and flounced off.

Dan heard that last line and blanched, wincing. ⌠No, no.. it▓s not what you think!■

⌠Love me long time?■ One of the girls asked cheerfully in her broken English.

⌠Okay.. it is but still.■ He struggled to get away and back to Kakure. ⌠I▓m sorry, I▓m taken!■ He howled as he tripped and fled. ⌠KAKURE!■

Kakure had made it to a pathway between a batch of cherry blossom trees. She was still stomping as Dan came running up.

⌠Wait a minute! Wait a minute!■ He cried out before crashing over a tree root, landing with a near shriek. ⌠Oh god.. my face.. why are we all falling on it this episode?■

⌠You dirty, perverted, jackass! I came all this way to see you and not only are you ungrateful, you have that indecent group of so-called fans at your heels and you▓re paying more attention to them!■

Dan managed to stagger up, brushing his pants free of debris. ⌠Oh... are you jealous a little?■

⌠Jealous this!■ She glared, her face flushed because he guessed right and she was still too angry. She gave a swift kick to the shin as he jumped up and down with another yell. ⌠Go on and have your fun!■

⌠That..■ He was still hopping at this point. ⌠Is not..■ He nearly fell over the same tree root. ⌠Fair!■

⌠Then why weren▓t you happy to see me!■

⌠I was. Can you blame me, I▓m a man. We men don▓t show emotions. It▓s weak!■

⌠This coming from a man who can become a woman.■

⌠Don▓t remind me,■ he muttered darkly. ⌠Listen, why did you want to see me?■

⌠I.. um... listen, my dad▓s gone and I was wondering if you wanted to come over to keep me company?■

⌠Sure there are no surveillance cameras set up?■ He asked smirking.

She glared at him.

⌠Hey, he liked me..■

⌠We▓ve been over this before. He doesn▓t want a daughter. I▓m sure people in America have that sort of idea!■

Dan▓s smile faltered. ⌠It must be lonely for you.■

⌠That▓s why I▓m inviting you over,■ She said hurriedly. ⌠So are you coming?■

⌠I▓ll be over about seven. Is that enough time for you cook up a meal? You -can- cook right?■

⌠Better than you,■ She glared. ⌠I know how to cook! It was a necessity for me in order to survive!■

He held up his hands in defense. ⌠Okay, okay. I don▓t know what▓s with you. Must be hormones or something!■

⌠OR SOMETHING!■ She glared. ⌠I▓ll see you at seven,■ She turned and walked off with a sharp step.

⌠What the hell is the matter with her?■ He muttered to himself.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

⌠How am I supposed to do this?■ Kakure wrung the hand towel tautly, trying to even her breathing. But she was upset, considerably so. She never felt like this but she knew that if there wasn▓t any other solution soon, this would be the only way.

⌠He has to understand..■ But she sighed and rubbed her nose absently. She was in the bathroom, attempting to fluff her hair but she stared back into still wet eyes.

⌠Plain.. boring, not to mention temperamental,■ She laughed a little. ⌠He▓ll forget about me. Every man in my life does.■

She dressed in a black, strapless dress, with a long dip against her back. It was somewhat loose around her hips, falling down getting looser until it spread at her ankles, fluffing out. She had placed her hair up in black rose clips but left everything else untouched.

She heard the doorbell ring as she hurriedly fluffed her hair the more before nearly running to the door.

⌠Hi!■ She said breathlessly. Dan▓s eyes widened slightly.

⌠Wow.. um.. is it an anniversary or something?■

⌠No, just wanted it to be special.■

He began to pull on his collar. ⌠Maybe I shouldn▓t have taken off the tie,■ he grinned sheepishly.

⌠You▓re beautiful the way you are,■ she beamed. ⌠Come on, come on! Everything is all nice and cooked!■

He settled, spying the intricate set, the dual set of burning candles and though he smiled, there was a strange worry growing that proved difficult to push away.

She did most of the talking, nervous chatter as Dan tried to think of why she was so bizarre in her behavior.

He took in the outfit, the fancy hair, the scrumptious dinner, and wondered suddenly if he were being wooed. ▒By a sixteen year old..▓ the thought startled him as he attempted to squash that notion. There was lull of silence as Kakure stared back at him, her smile fading.

⌠What?■ She asked finally.

He coughed. ⌠I think.. I should leave.■

⌠But.. we haven▓t dessert,■ she protested. She stood up and he was suddenly aware of her bare shoulders and the dip into her chest to reveal just the beginning of..

⌠Ah.. I need to go... finish.. finish with... ah.. the fixing.. what▓s it called? Grading! Yes! Grading! I have so much work, I really should..■

⌠Dan, please..■ He turned and was shocked to see tears, opening spilling. Her eyes were filled with pain and his heart felt shattered. ⌠I can▓t do this.. I don▓t want to but we haven▓t a choice..■

⌠What are you doing, breaking up with me?■ He asked, half-joking.

⌠Dan, you have to go back to your own time. If you don▓t... you don▓t.. everything is ripping at the seams.. Setsuna told me, that you coming here was a mistake, an accident because you were careless. But I don▓t.. don▓t wanna see you go but if you don▓t go.. you▓ll get hurt...■

She was sobbing at this point, falling to her knees as she covered her face. ⌠I don▓t know why... why you noticed me, why you were here in the first place. I thought I finally found.. found someone who would love me for me... I never knew it could feel so good but hurt so bad at the same time!■

Dan was watching the door before he turned and walked over to her, kneeling down. ⌠Why? I don▓t have to leave..■

⌠Dan, listen to me,■ she whispered, cupping his face gently. ⌠If you don▓t go, not only will this world, this universe be ruined, the time stream will tear and everything else will spin out of control. We have to send you back, no matter what.■

He studied her teary eyes. ⌠You already decided, haven▓t you?■

⌠Yes..■ Her eyes welled up. ⌠But I love you so much... I have to let you go...■

He gave a strained smile. ⌠So you weren▓t trying to woo me, huh? Just wanted to make me see you the more.. you didn▓t have to do any of this. I▓m stupid most of the time, and gullible.. and easily distracted.■

⌠Dan?■

He looked up at her and smiled with a wistful smile. ⌠I suppose... if this is the way to go..■ He sighed and leaned his forehead against hers. ⌠Could I.. stay the night?■ He asked in a soft whisper.

Her eyes glimmered. ⌠I would love that..■

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The cold wind of very early morning was bitter against Prince Daroshay▓s skin. ⌠Finally, finally I have found that blasted self. Not to mention so many other suitable minions to collect.■

⌠David!■ He snapped his fingers. ⌠Have you found him?■

⌠Not yet. There are too many interfering energies,■ David sat at the holograph computer, clicking wildly as images and information flashed. ⌠Apparently, these energies are called Sailor Senshi. They have the powers of the Stars themselves. If we take them one by one..■

⌠What would the fun of that be?■ Prince Daroshay smirked. ⌠Let▓s draw them out at that location..■ He pointed to a section of the map, where the Tokyo Tower was flashing.

⌠It▓s time for the end, my better self. I will get what I want, complete and utter control...■ 


End file.
